Recruitment
to conduct the Indian Civil Service (ICS) Examination in India from 1926 on behalf of
5
RECRUITMENT
5.1 Introduction
The quality of governance is critically dependent on the quality of its public servants. A
major determinant of the quality of government servants is the rigour and integrity of
the recruitment process. Therefore the recruitment process, apart from being transparent,
objective, fair and equitable should also ensure that the right type of persons join the civil
services. Government being the largest employer in India recruits candidates for a wide
variety of positions through various institutional mechanisms. The Union Public Service
Commission – a Constitutional authority – has the mandate to recruit senior public
servants for the Union Government. A similar role is played by the State Public Service
Commissions for State Governments. The Staff Selection Commission recruits personnel for
other positions in the Union Government. Government Departments are also authorised
to recruit certain categories of personnel. The system of recruitment to the civil services
in India has evolved over the years. Several changes have been made in the recruitment
process, especially after Independence, to reflect the needs of the administration from time
to time. In this Chapter the Commission has examined the recruitment process for senior
positions in Government through the Civil Services Examination.
5.2 Brief History of Recruitment to Civil Services in India
5.2.1 In its long evolution, the civil services in India have progressed from what essentially
was an elitist service to a service that is now representative of Indian society. This is a very
positive development. In its representative character, the civil services now have a good
number of people from rural areas and disadvantaged backgrounds. The experience has
been that students from these backgrounds have a critical comprehension of the issues,
constraints and problems faced by people in rural areas and disadvantaged sectors. For
the civil service to be an agent of change and social transformation, this advantage of a
representative civil service needs to be further strengthened.
5.2.2 Before 1922, the Indian Civil Service Examination was held in England by the
British Civil Service Commission. It was only from 1922 that the examination also began
to be held in India. Subsequently, a Public Service Commission (India) was constituted
76
the British Civil Service Commission. Under the Government of India Act, 1935, the
Public Service Commission (India) was replaced by the Federal Public Service Commission
(FPSC) which from 1937 began to conduct the ICS Examination in India independent of
the British Commission. Before Independence, a combined examination was held in India
for the Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Imperial Customs Service, Indian Railways
and Accounts Service, Military Accounts Department, Postal Superintendents (Class II),
Service and Transportation (Traffic) and Commercial Departments of the Superior Revenue
Establishment of State Railways. A separate examination was held for the Indian Police.
However, after 1943, recruitment to these services, including the ICS, was suspended.39
5.2.3 After Independence, new services called the Indian Administrative Service (IAS),
Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Foreign Service (IFS) were established. Between
1947 and 1950, an annual combined competitive examination was held for recruitment to
these services as well as to the non-technical Central Services. In 1950, on coming into force
of the Constitution, the FPSC was redesignated as the Union Public Service Commission
(UPSC). The examination required the candidates to take three compulsory subjects and
three optional subjects (for the IPS, only two optional subjects were required to be taken).
A separate viva voce was also conducted. From 1951 onwards, the eligibility age was fixed
at 21 to 24 years (20 to 24 years for the IPS) and the candidates were permitted to take
three chances at the examination. One of the recommendations of the Public Services
(Qualification for Recruitment) Committee, appointed in 1955 was limiting the number
of attempts to two by reducing the eligibility age range to 21-23 years. Government, while
leaving the eligibility age unaltered, decided to reduce the number of attempts to two which
were to be counted separately for (a) Category I Services (IAS and IFS), (b) Category II
Services (IPS and Police Service Class II of the Union Territories), and (c) Category III
Services (Central Services Class I and II). In effect, this amounted to one examination
becoming three examinations from 1961 onwards. On the recommendation of the First
Administrative Reforms Commission, the upper age limit was increased to 26 years in
1972 and from 1973, candidates were permitted to make three attempts for each of the
three categories of services.40
5.2.4 The Committee on Recruitment Policy and Selection Methods (hereafter, called
the Kothari Committee) which gave its Report in 1976, recommended a new scheme
of the Civil Services Examination for recruitment to the All India and Central Services.
This consisted of three sequential stages: (i) Preliminary Examination (Objective Type)
for selecting the candidates for the Main Examination, (ii) Main Examination (Written
examination followed by an interview) for selecting candidates for entry into the civil
77
39
Source: Chapter2; Report of the Kothari Committee
40
Source: ibid

5
RECRUITMENT
5.1 Introduction
The quality of governance is critically dependent on the quality of its public servants. A
major determinant of the quality of government servants is the rigour and integrity of
the recruitment process. Therefore the recruitment process, apart from being transparent,
objective, fair and equitable should also ensure that the right type of persons join the civil
services. Government being the largest employer in India recruits candidates for a wide
variety of positions through various institutional mechanisms. The Union Public Service
Commission – a Constitutional authority – has the mandate to recruit senior public
servants for the Union Government. A similar role is played by the State Public Service
Commissions for State Governments. The Staff Selection Commission recruits personnel for
other positions in the Union Government. Government Departments are also authorised
to recruit certain categories of personnel. The system of recruitment to the civil services
in India has evolved over the years. Several changes have been made in the recruitment
process, especially after Independence, to reflect the needs of the administration from time
to time. In this Chapter the Commission has examined the recruitment process for senior
positions in Government through the Civil Services Examination.
5.2 Brief History of Recruitment to Civil Services in India
5.2.1 In its long evolution, the civil services in India have progressed from what essentially
was an elitist service to a service that is now representative of Indian society. This is a very
positive development. In its representative character, the civil services now have a good
number of people from rural areas and disadvantaged backgrounds. The experience has
been that students from these backgrounds have a critical comprehension of the issues,
constraints and problems faced by people in rural areas and disadvantaged sectors. For
the civil service to be an agent of change and social transformation, this advantage of a
representative civil service needs to be further strengthened.
5.2.2 Before 1922, the Indian Civil Service Examination was held in England by the
British Civil Service Commission. It was only from 1922 that the examination also began
to be held in India. Subsequently, a Public Service Commission (India) was constituted
76
Recruitment
to conduct the Indian Civil Service (ICS) Examination in India from 1926 on behalf of
the British Civil Service Commission. Under the Government of India Act, 1935, the
Public Service Commission (India) was replaced by the Federal Public Service Commission
(FPSC) which from 1937 began to conduct the ICS Examination in India independent of
the British Commission. Before Independence, a combined examination was held in India
for the Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Imperial Customs Service, Indian Railways
and Accounts Service, Military Accounts Department, Postal Superintendents (Class II),
Service and Transportation (Traffic) and Commercial Departments of the Superior Revenue
Establishment of State Railways. A separate examination was held for the Indian Police.
However, after 1943, recruitment to these services, including the ICS, was suspended.39
5.2.3 After Independence, new services called the Indian Administrative Service (IAS),
Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Foreign Service (IFS) were established. Between
1947 and 1950, an annual combined competitive examination was held for recruitment to
these services as well as to the non-technical Central Services. In 1950, on coming into force
of the Constitution, the FPSC was redesignated as the Union Public Service Commission
(UPSC). The examination required the candidates to take three compulsory subjects and
three optional subjects (for the IPS, only two optional subjects were required to be taken).
A separate viva voce was also conducted. From 1951 onwards, the eligibility age was fixed
at 21 to 24 years (20 to 24 years for the IPS) and the candidates were permitted to take
three chances at the examination. One of the recommendations of the Public Services
(Qualification for Recruitment) Committee, appointed in 1955 was limiting the number
of attempts to two by reducing the eligibility age range to 21-23 years. Government, while
leaving the eligibility age unaltered, decided to reduce the number of attempts to two which
were to be counted separately for (a) Category I Services (IAS and IFS), (b) Category II
Services (IPS and Police Service Class II of the Union Territories), and (c) Category III
Services (Central Services Class I and II). In effect, this amounted to one examination
becoming three examinations from 1961 onwards. On the recommendation of the First
Administrative Reforms Commission, the upper age limit was increased to 26 years in
1972 and from 1973, candidates were permitted to make three attempts for each of the
three categories of services.40
5.2.4 The Committee on Recruitment Policy and Selection Methods (hereafter, called
the Kothari Committee) which gave its Report in 1976, recommended a new scheme
of the Civil Services Examination for recruitment to the All India and Central Services.
This consisted of three sequential stages: (i) Preliminary Examination (Objective Type)
for selecting the candidates for the Main Examination, (ii) Main Examination (Written
examination followed by an interview) for selecting candidates for entry into the civil
77
39
Source: Chapter2; Report of the Kothari Committee
40
Source: ibid
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

services and (iii) Post Training Test at the end of the Foundation Course at the Academy, Table 5.2: Number of Applicants and Candidates Appearing in CSE
including an interview by a Board constituted by the UPSC. It was proposed that the
result of the stage three test, combined with the result of the stage two examination would Year of Examination No. of applicants No. of candidates appearing in Civil
Services (Preliminary) Examination
determine the ranking and therefore, allocation of services. Government did not accept
2003-04 3,16,496 1,60,784
the recommendation regarding allocation of services after the Foundation Course. The
new scheme, consisting of the first two stages was introduced in 1979. This scheme was 2004-05 3,49,020 1,74,475
revisited by the Committee to Review the Scheme of the Civil Services Examination (the 2005-06 3,45,106 1,75,202
Satish Chandra Committee), which in its Report in 1989 recommended the continuance 2006-07 3,83,983 1,95,803
of this structure while introducing a compulsory Essay paper in the Main Examination. Source: Tables 1 and 2; Annual Report 2006-07 and Tables 3A and 3B; Annual Report 2005-06, Union
The present structure of the CSE is given in Table 5.1. Public Service Commission

Table 5.1: The Present Structure of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) Table 5.3: The Services for which the Recruitment is Made through the CSE
Component of Number of Papers and Marks Civil Services (Main) Examination – 2006
Examination All India Services
Preliminary Examination General Studies 1 150 i) Indian Administrative Service
(Objective Type) Optional Subject 1 300 ii) Indian Police Service
Central Services Group ‘A’ Services / Posts
Main Examination English (Qualifying nature and 1 300 iii) Indian Foreign Service
(Conventional) Matric Standard)
iv) Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service
Indian Language (Qualifying nature 1 300
v) Indian Audit and Accounts Service
and Matric Standard)
General Studies 2 600 vi) Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise)
Esaay 1 200 vii) Indian Defence Accounts Service
1st Optional Subject 2 600 viii) Indian Revenue Service (I.T.)
2nd Optional Subject 2 600 ix) Indian Ordnance Factories Service (Assistant Works Manager, Non-Technical)
The General Studies papers, the Essay paper and the Optional papers x) Indian Postal Service
could be answered either in English or one of Schedule VIII languages xi) Indian Civil Accounts Service
while the Question papers are set bilingually. xii) Indian Railway Traffic Service
Interview 300 xiii) Indian Railway Accounts Service
xiv) Indian Railway Personnel Service
Total 2300 xv) Post of Assistant Security Officer in Railway Protection Force
Age 21-30 years xvi) Indian Defence Estates Service
(relaxation of three years for OBC candidates and xvii) Indian Information Service (Junior Grade)
five years for SC/ST candidates) xviii) Indian Trade Service (Grade-III)
No. of Chances 4 for General, 7 for OBC and no restriction for SC/ST candidates Group ‘B’ Services / Posts
Minimum Educational Graduate degree xix) Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service (Section Officers’ Grade)
Qualifications xx) Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra &
Nagar Haveli Civil Service
Source: Report of the Alagh Committee/UPSC website xxi) Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra &
Nagar Haveli Police Service
5.2.5 The number of applicants and candidates appearing in the CSE has increased xxii) Pondicherry Civil Service
enormously over the years, as indicated in Table 5.2. The Services, for which the recruitment xxiii) Pondicherry Police Service
is done, are indicated in Table 5.3. Source: 56th Annual Report, 2006-07; UPSC

78 79
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

services and (iii) Post Training Test at the end of the Foundation Course at the Academy, Table 5.2: Number of Applicants and Candidates Appearing in CSE
including an interview by a Board constituted by the UPSC. It was proposed that the
result of the stage three test, combined with the result of the stage two examination would Year of Examination No. of applicants No. of candidates appearing in Civil
Services (Preliminary) Examination
determine the ranking and therefore, allocation of services. Government did not accept
2003-04 3,16,496 1,60,784
the recommendation regarding allocation of services after the Foundation Course. The
new scheme, consisting of the first two stages was introduced in 1979. This scheme was 2004-05 3,49,020 1,74,475
revisited by the Committee to Review the Scheme of the Civil Services Examination (the 2005-06 3,45,106 1,75,202
Satish Chandra Committee), which in its Report in 1989 recommended the continuance 2006-07 3,83,983 1,95,803
of this structure while introducing a compulsory Essay paper in the Main Examination. Source: Tables 1 and 2; Annual Report 2006-07 and Tables 3A and 3B; Annual Report 2005-06, Union
The present structure of the CSE is given in Table 5.1. Public Service Commission

Table 5.1: The Present Structure of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) Table 5.3: The Services for which the Recruitment is Made through the CSE
Component of Number of Papers and Marks Civil Services (Main) Examination – 2006
Examination All India Services
Preliminary Examination General Studies 1 150 i) Indian Administrative Service
(Objective Type) Optional Subject 1 300 ii) Indian Police Service
Central Services Group ‘A’ Services / Posts
Main Examination English (Qualifying nature and 1 300 iii) Indian Foreign Service
(Conventional) Matric Standard)
iv) Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service
Indian Language (Qualifying nature 1 300
v) Indian Audit and Accounts Service
and Matric Standard)
General Studies 2 600 vi) Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise)
Esaay 1 200 vii) Indian Defence Accounts Service
1st Optional Subject 2 600 viii) Indian Revenue Service (I.T.)
2nd Optional Subject 2 600 ix) Indian Ordnance Factories Service (Assistant Works Manager, Non-Technical)
The General Studies papers, the Essay paper and the Optional papers x) Indian Postal Service
could be answered either in English or one of Schedule VIII languages xi) Indian Civil Accounts Service
while the Question papers are set bilingually. xii) Indian Railway Traffic Service
Interview 300 xiii) Indian Railway Accounts Service
xiv) Indian Railway Personnel Service
Total 2300 xv) Post of Assistant Security Officer in Railway Protection Force
Age 21-30 years xvi) Indian Defence Estates Service
(relaxation of three years for OBC candidates and xvii) Indian Information Service (Junior Grade)
five years for SC/ST candidates) xviii) Indian Trade Service (Grade-III)
No. of Chances 4 for General, 7 for OBC and no restriction for SC/ST candidates Group ‘B’ Services / Posts
Minimum Educational Graduate degree xix) Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service (Section Officers’ Grade)
Qualifications xx) Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra &
Nagar Haveli Civil Service
Source: Report of the Alagh Committee/UPSC website xxi) Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra &
Nagar Haveli Police Service
5.2.5 The number of applicants and candidates appearing in the CSE has increased xxii) Pondicherry Civil Service
enormously over the years, as indicated in Table 5.2. The Services, for which the recruitment xxiii) Pondicherry Police Service
is done, are indicated in Table 5.3. Source: 56th Annual Report, 2006-07; UPSC

78 79
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

5.2.6 The adequacy of numbers in the talent pool from which the existing system recruits iii. Structure of the civil services examination
its civil servants has never been an issue. For example, the number of applicants competing iv. Other modes of induction into the civil services
for 457 civil service jobs in 2005
has been of the order of 3.45 lakh 5.3 Stage of Entry into the Civil Services
(based on the Annual Report of
The stage of entry into the Services through the Civil Services Examination conducted by
UPSC 2006-07). This ratio has
the UPSC, is after graduation (a Bachelor’s or equivalent degree). The source is the pool of
been increasing over the years.
graduates (in all subjects) in the eligible age-bands. Persons who are selected and allotted to
A comparison with Japan which
different services are given a common as well as service-specific training for a total period
is often cited as an example of
of two years. The Committees which have reviewed the recruitment and training practices
merit-based recruitment to the civil
have found several deficiencies in them and have suggested – as dealt with elsewhere in
service confirms that recruitment
the Report – changes in the existing systems. This Commission has also made suggestions
to the civil services in India is
for improvement, that can be implemented immediately, both as regards the examination
far more competitive than Japan.
system and training. It has been urged by a number of perceptive observers that the system
Figure 5.1 illustrates this.41
needs to be changed radically, if the objective is to recruit persons with the talent, skills,
5.2.7 In addition to the Civil Services attitudes and motivation essential in a civil service career. One of the main elements of the
Examination, the UPSC conducts change proposed is that grooming for a future civil service career should start at a young
competitive examinations for other age when the mind is open and receptive to values of public service whereas entrants into
‘specialised Services’ such as the Indian civil service at a late age bring with them a ‘baggage’ of entrenched mindsets. Based on
Forest Service, Indian Economic Service/ these considerations, two proposals have been made, namely:
Indian Statistical Service, and Indian 1. Post-School recruitment system and
Engineering Services. Only those 2. post-School grooming for public services.
candidates who have the prescribed
graduate (or post graduate) qualifications While the objective of both is the same, the second one seeks to avoid the weaknesses of
are eligible to appear in these examinations. the first one. Both the proposed systems are
The Commission is prima facie of the examined below:
opinion that some of the Services,
currently covered by the CSE (especially 5.3.1 The Post-school Recruitment System:
the Accounts Services) should be included
5.3.1.1 This proposal envisages recruitment
in the category of ‘specialised Services’
to the civil services through an All India
and recruitment should be done through a separate examination. The Government may
Entrance Examination for students who
take a view on this issue in consultation with the UPSC. The Commission has deliberated
have completed school (class XII). Those
on various issues involving recruitment into the civil services through the Civil Services
who qualify would be called for interview
Examination (CSE). The concluding deliberations have centred around the following
which would also include psychological
issues:
tests, group discussions, medical tests, etc.
i. Stage of entry into the civil services The final selection would take into account
existing reservation quotas. The selected
ii. Age of entry and number of attempts candidates would join an Institute for
80 81
41
Das SK, 1998; Civil Service Reform & Structural Adjustment.
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

5.2.6 The adequacy of numbers in the talent pool from which the existing system recruits iii. Structure of the civil services examination
its civil servants has never been an issue. For example, the number of applicants competing iv. Other modes of induction into the civil services
for 457 civil service jobs in 2005
has been of the order of 3.45 lakh 5.3 Stage of Entry into the Civil Services
(based on the Annual Report of
The stage of entry into the Services through the Civil Services Examination conducted by
UPSC 2006-07). This ratio has
the UPSC, is after graduation (a Bachelor’s or equivalent degree). The source is the pool of
been increasing over the years.
graduates (in all subjects) in the eligible age-bands. Persons who are selected and allotted to
A comparison with Japan which
different services are given a common as well as service-specific training for a total period
is often cited as an example of
of two years. The Committees which have reviewed the recruitment and training practices
merit-based recruitment to the civil
have found several deficiencies in them and have suggested – as dealt with elsewhere in
service confirms that recruitment
the Report – changes in the existing systems. This Commission has also made suggestions
to the civil services in India is
for improvement, that can be implemented immediately, both as regards the examination
far more competitive than Japan.
system and training. It has been urged by a number of perceptive observers that the system
Figure 5.1 illustrates this.41
needs to be changed radically, if the objective is to recruit persons with the talent, skills,
5.2.7 In addition to the Civil Services attitudes and motivation essential in a civil service career. One of the main elements of the
Examination, the UPSC conducts change proposed is that grooming for a future civil service career should start at a young
competitive examinations for other age when the mind is open and receptive to values of public service whereas entrants into
‘specialised Services’ such as the Indian civil service at a late age bring with them a ‘baggage’ of entrenched mindsets. Based on
Forest Service, Indian Economic Service/ these considerations, two proposals have been made, namely:
Indian Statistical Service, and Indian 1. Post-School recruitment system and
Engineering Services. Only those 2. post-School grooming for public services.
candidates who have the prescribed
graduate (or post graduate) qualifications While the objective of both is the same, the second one seeks to avoid the weaknesses of
are eligible to appear in these examinations. the first one. Both the proposed systems are
The Commission is prima facie of the examined below:
opinion that some of the Services,
currently covered by the CSE (especially 5.3.1 The Post-school Recruitment System:
the Accounts Services) should be included
5.3.1.1 This proposal envisages recruitment
in the category of ‘specialised Services’
to the civil services through an All India
and recruitment should be done through a separate examination. The Government may
Entrance Examination for students who
take a view on this issue in consultation with the UPSC. The Commission has deliberated
have completed school (class XII). Those
on various issues involving recruitment into the civil services through the Civil Services
who qualify would be called for interview
Examination (CSE). The concluding deliberations have centred around the following
which would also include psychological
issues:
tests, group discussions, medical tests, etc.
i. Stage of entry into the civil services The final selection would take into account
existing reservation quotas. The selected
ii. Age of entry and number of attempts candidates would join an Institute for
80 81
41
Das SK, 1998; Civil Service Reform & Structural Adjustment.
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
3-year course. This 3-year course would be carefully tailored to meet the essential
requirements of a modern and responsive civil service. Assessment tests will be held every
year during the course period. All candidates who pass the final test would be awarded a
graduation degree that is nationally recognized. A merit list will be drawn up thereafter, on
the basis of the exams/tests conducted by the institute. Those who do not wish to pursue
a career in the civil services will be permitted to exit and pursue their interests elsewhere.
Realistic fees would need to be charged for the full course with provision for scholarships
for meritorious/poor students.
5.3.1.2 Those candidates desirous of pursuing a career in the civil services would, on
completion of the course, be given their service allotments on the basis of merit and their
choice. Candidates who have been given their service allotments will undergo a 2-year
service-specific course in designated national academies/institutes - for example SVPNPA
for IPS, NADT for IRS etc. These 2-year courses would be designed specifically for the
requirements of the concerned service. There would also be further annual examinations/
tests during these 2 years. Again, a final merit list for each service will be drawn up at the
end of 2 years on the basis of the exams/tests carried out by the designated academies/
institutes. Candidates in the All-India Services would be given their cadre allotment at this
stage on the basis of merit and preference.
5.3.1.3 The proposed system would require the establishment of a National Civil Service
College to conduct the 3-year graduation course. The UPSC would conduct an examination
to select candidates for this College and the eligibility would be a CBSE (Class XII)
or an equivalent educational qualification. The existing age criteria would need to be
correspondingly lowered.
5.3.1.4 A similar system of post-school recruitment exists in the Armed Forces where
students after passing the 12th class are eligible to join the National Defence Academy
after qualifying in the competitive exam conducted by the UPSC. The Railways also recruit
some of its mechanical engineers through a post-school entrance examination. They are
further given professional training at the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and
Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE), where the candidates undergo a four-year rigorous
training programme in Mechanical Engineering, for which the Institute has a Memorandum
of Understanding with Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi. The Armed Forces
Medical College, Pune recruits candidates on the basis of a competitive examination which
is post-school. Selected candidates are formally inducted into the Armed Forces Medical
Services after successfully passing the final MBBS examination.
82
Recruitment
5.3.2 Arguments For
5.3.2.1 It has been urged that a post-school recruitment system, as briefly described above,
has several advantages. It would be possible to “catch” potential civil servants at a young
age and ground them in the ethos of public service at a time when they are still in their
formative years. The educational/training programme could be so designed as to integrate
the general knowledge and skills required for the civil services over a 3-year programme.
It would also be possible to select the right candidates for various civil services based on a
closer observation of their performance and aptitude. Another advantage would be that as
the number of streams of education at the school level is limited as compared to the number
of streams at the college level, this will make for ease of comparability and would reduce
the clutter of students who are engaged in the study of other academic disciplines in most
university courses but are actually preparing for the civil services examination.
5.3.2.2 The post-school recruitment makes it possible for the system to tap into a much
bigger resource pool of talent than the present system of recruitment. Traditionally the best
and brightest students in the country opt for a professional education after school, and
tend to go to the IITs, Medical schools, National Law Schools etc. That being the case, a
post-school entry system into the civil services has the potential of attracting the best and
brightest talent of the country.
5.3.2.3 A post-school system would also end the present undesirable system of coaching
institutes which have mushroomed all over the country to prepare candidates for the civil
service examination. These coaching institutes tend to create stereotypes which ultimately
thwart intelligence and analytical abilities which are essential civil service attributes. The
present recruitment system unfotunately, tacitly encourages these thriving coaching centres
which tend to trivialize education and merely train candidates to beat the examination
system and thereby achieve success. As a substantial number of candidates who go through
these coaching classes ultimately succeed in getting selected, the Services get burdened with
‘unsuitable candidates’ who become a lifetime liability.
5.3.2.4 Some eminent educationists have argued that the conventional principle of a Degree
as the basic qualification to determine eligibility was evolved at a time when standards of
school education were not as high as they are now. Furthermore, it was felt that students
lacked the maturity at that young age to absorb professional skills and analytical abilities
which are required to pursue professions requiring resolution of complex issues and national
concerns. The myth that students will be mature enough to absorb professional skills and
undertake professional responsibilities only after he/she attains the age of 25 has now been
exploded with most professions (engineering, medicine etc) selecting students for entry
83
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
3-year course. This 3-year course would be carefully tailored to meet the essential
requirements of a modern and responsive civil service. Assessment tests will be held every
year during the course period. All candidates who pass the final test would be awarded a
graduation degree that is nationally recognized. A merit list will be drawn up thereafter, on
the basis of the exams/tests conducted by the institute. Those who do not wish to pursue
a career in the civil services will be permitted to exit and pursue their interests elsewhere.
Realistic fees would need to be charged for the full course with provision for scholarships
for meritorious/poor students.
5.3.1.2 Those candidates desirous of pursuing a career in the civil services would, on
completion of the course, be given their service allotments on the basis of merit and their
choice. Candidates who have been given their service allotments will undergo a 2-year
service-specific course in designated national academies/institutes - for example SVPNPA
for IPS, NADT for IRS etc. These 2-year courses would be designed specifically for the
requirements of the concerned service. There would also be further annual examinations/
tests during these 2 years. Again, a final merit list for each service will be drawn up at the
end of 2 years on the basis of the exams/tests carried out by the designated academies/
institutes. Candidates in the All-India Services would be given their cadre allotment at this
stage on the basis of merit and preference.
5.3.1.3 The proposed system would require the establishment of a National Civil Service
College to conduct the 3-year graduation course. The UPSC would conduct an examination
to select candidates for this College and the eligibility would be a CBSE (Class XII)
or an equivalent educational qualification. The existing age criteria would need to be
correspondingly lowered.
5.3.1.4 A similar system of post-school recruitment exists in the Armed Forces where
students after passing the 12th class are eligible to join the National Defence Academy
after qualifying in the competitive exam conducted by the UPSC. The Railways also recruit
some of its mechanical engineers through a post-school entrance examination. They are
further given professional training at the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and
Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE), where the candidates undergo a four-year rigorous
training programme in Mechanical Engineering, for which the Institute has a Memorandum
of Understanding with Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi. The Armed Forces
Medical College, Pune recruits candidates on the basis of a competitive examination which
is post-school. Selected candidates are formally inducted into the Armed Forces Medical
Services after successfully passing the final MBBS examination.
82
Recruitment
5.3.2 Arguments For
5.3.2.1 It has been urged that a post-school recruitment system, as briefly described above,
has several advantages. It would be possible to “catch” potential civil servants at a young
age and ground them in the ethos of public service at a time when they are still in their
formative years. The educational/training programme could be so designed as to integrate
the general knowledge and skills required for the civil services over a 3-year programme.
It would also be possible to select the right candidates for various civil services based on a
closer observation of their performance and aptitude. Another advantage would be that as
the number of streams of education at the school level is limited as compared to the number
of streams at the college level, this will make for ease of comparability and would reduce
the clutter of students who are engaged in the study of other academic disciplines in most
university courses but are actually preparing for the civil services examination.
5.3.2.2 The post-school recruitment makes it possible for the system to tap into a much
bigger resource pool of talent than the present system of recruitment. Traditionally the best
and brightest students in the country opt for a professional education after school, and
tend to go to the IITs, Medical schools, National Law Schools etc. That being the case, a
post-school entry system into the civil services has the potential of attracting the best and
brightest talent of the country.
5.3.2.3 A post-school system would also end the present undesirable system of coaching
institutes which have mushroomed all over the country to prepare candidates for the civil
service examination. These coaching institutes tend to create stereotypes which ultimately
thwart intelligence and analytical abilities which are essential civil service attributes. The
present recruitment system unfotunately, tacitly encourages these thriving coaching centres
which tend to trivialize education and merely train candidates to beat the examination
system and thereby achieve success. As a substantial number of candidates who go through
these coaching classes ultimately succeed in getting selected, the Services get burdened with
‘unsuitable candidates’ who become a lifetime liability.
5.3.2.4 Some eminent educationists have argued that the conventional principle of a Degree
as the basic qualification to determine eligibility was evolved at a time when standards of
school education were not as high as they are now. Furthermore, it was felt that students
lacked the maturity at that young age to absorb professional skills and analytical abilities
which are required to pursue professions requiring resolution of complex issues and national
concerns. The myth that students will be mature enough to absorb professional skills and
undertake professional responsibilities only after he/she attains the age of 25 has now been
exploded with most professions (engineering, medicine etc) selecting students for entry
83
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
immediately after they pass their 12th standard. Thus, there are, for example, cases of
students qualifying as lawyers at the young age of 21-22, being selected as judicial officers
and sitting in judgement as early as at 23-24 years of age. Similar examples are available
from other professions as well.
5.3.2.5 It has also been argued by the proponents of the post-school system of recruitment
that the change will enable a larger number of candidates particularly from weaker sections
to avail themselves of the opportunity to compete for the civil services as, according to them,
university education in this country is the privilege of less than 15% of the eligible age
groups. It therefore tends to deny equal opportunity to a vast section of citizens particularly
those in rural areas to appear for the civil service examination.
5.3.3 Arguments Against
5.3.3.1 On the other hand, several arguments have been advanced against post-school
recruitment. These can be summarized as follows:
5.3.3.2 It is well known that students studying in schools in rural areas particularly
government schools, do not receive the same quality of education that is delivered in urban
areas especially in the public schools. This can lead to an undesirable bias in recruitment.
Such an urban bias is already apparent in the highly competitive examinations for
admission to the IITs, National Law Schools, the premier medical schools and the centres of
excellence in higher education established in various fields across the country. Furthermore,
it is generally the affluent and the elite who, by virtue of their resources, have access to
better educational institutions and better coaching and preparation for the competitive
examinations such as the ones described above.
5.3.3.3 University education is the key to the development of a well balanced personality
in as much as it promotes better understanding, insights into socio-economic problems
and appreciation of real life situations through inter-action with peer groups. It is only
after graduate studies that rural students can compete on the same footing with urban
students for the civil services examination. In that sense, the university system in India is
a great leveler.
5.3.3.4 Diversity and flexibility in education have been found to produce far more
innovative entrepreneurial and courageous administrators and managers. Those who pursued
a highly inflexible and standardized education tend to be routine in their approaches to
problem-definition and problem-solution. It would take years of training and experience to
overcome such a handicap. To nurture and encourage leadership thought as well as out of
84
Recruitment
the box approaches to solve difficult problems, it would be desirable to increase educational
diversity through varied academic backgrounds in the Services.
5.3.3.5 It is argued that Box 5.1: Views of Various Committees on the Stage of Entry
the system would provide The Public Services (Qualifications for Recruitment), Committee,
flexibility to train young 1955:“Finally, for the top-most grades we are definitely of the opinion that
minds in public service entry into these services should be restricted to graduates. This view is based
on our opinion that for the highest Executive and Administrative services a
values. While it is true that maturity of outlook and cultural standard is required which, by and large, can
it would be possible to naturally be expected of graduates. For these services, therefore, we recommend
inculcate public service ethos the age level of 21 to 23.”
in young minds, one has to Committee on Recruitment Policy and Selection Methods (1976; Kothari
Committee): This Committee suggested the continuance of the existing
recognize that most entrants minimum educational qualification as a university degree. It also examined
to the civil service are drawn the age limit for eligibility.
to it by the opportunities a Committee to Review the Scheme of the Civil Services Examination
civil service career offers for (1989, Satish Chandra Committee): This Committee favoured the existing
requirement of graduation as a qualification for taking the Civil Services Exam.
public service and that being It also examined the issue of age limit.
the case, a certain aptitude The Civil Services Examination Review Committee (2001; Yoginder
for public service is inherent Alagh Committee): This Committee touched upon the issue of qualification
in the decision to join the required and the age limit for the civil services examination. It had the
following to say:
civil services. Public service
“It is shown by research that there is a positive correlation between a higher
ethos is an outcome of a level of education and performance in the Examination. Besides, considering
process of socialization that the magnitude and importance of this examination, the graduate requirement
all individuals go through. seems to discourage the non-serious candidates who may apply in large number
without any serious preparation and understanding for purpose of trial and may
The four main influences ultimately clog the system. In view of this, it is essential to prescribe graduation
in this context are the as the minimum educational qualification as the candidates are expected to
reach a certain level of, maturity by that time. In this way, it will work as a
family, culture, school and filter. However, the Committee recommends that the candidates may continue
the State. While a career- to be permitted to take the Preliminary Examination while studying for their
oriented course has a value, degree, as at present”.
the values of a public servant
are shaped by external factors and societal influence. Significant orientation, in fact, occurs in
the formative years of a child’s development. Training is essentially to impart skills. Education
on the other hand, is to develop the faculties of an individual and imbibe values.
5.3.3.6 It may be recognized that for the Armed Forces, it makes sense to catch the potential
recruits young and put them through a rigorous training and educational programme
designed to uniquely serve the needs of the armed forces. This may not be ideal for the civil
services which have a somewhat a different nature of duties and responsibilities. Several
years of training and comraderie in a training institution for the officer corps in the defence
85
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
immediately after they pass their 12th standard. Thus, there are, for example, cases of
students qualifying as lawyers at the young age of 21-22, being selected as judicial officers
and sitting in judgement as early as at 23-24 years of age. Similar examples are available
from other professions as well.
5.3.2.5 It has also been argued by the proponents of the post-school system of recruitment
that the change will enable a larger number of candidates particularly from weaker sections
to avail themselves of the opportunity to compete for the civil services as, according to them,
university education in this country is the privilege of less than 15% of the eligible age
groups. It therefore tends to deny equal opportunity to a vast section of citizens particularly
those in rural areas to appear for the civil service examination.
5.3.3 Arguments Against
5.3.3.1 On the other hand, several arguments have been advanced against post-school
recruitment. These can be summarized as follows:
5.3.3.2 It is well known that students studying in schools in rural areas particularly
government schools, do not receive the same quality of education that is delivered in urban
areas especially in the public schools. This can lead to an undesirable bias in recruitment.
Such an urban bias is already apparent in the highly competitive examinations for
admission to the IITs, National Law Schools, the premier medical schools and the centres of
excellence in higher education established in various fields across the country. Furthermore,
it is generally the affluent and the elite who, by virtue of their resources, have access to
better educational institutions and better coaching and preparation for the competitive
examinations such as the ones described above.
5.3.3.3 University education is the key to the development of a well balanced personality
in as much as it promotes better understanding, insights into socio-economic problems
and appreciation of real life situations through inter-action with peer groups. It is only
after graduate studies that rural students can compete on the same footing with urban
students for the civil services examination. In that sense, the university system in India is
a great leveler.
5.3.3.4 Diversity and flexibility in education have been found to produce far more
innovative entrepreneurial and courageous administrators and managers. Those who pursued
a highly inflexible and standardized education tend to be routine in their approaches to
problem-definition and problem-solution. It would take years of training and experience to
overcome such a handicap. To nurture and encourage leadership thought as well as out of
84
Recruitment
the box approaches to solve difficult problems, it would be desirable to increase educational
diversity through varied academic backgrounds in the Services.
5.3.3.5 It is argued that Box 5.1: Views of Various Committees on the Stage of Entry
the system would provide The Public Services (Qualifications for Recruitment), Committee,
flexibility to train young 1955:“Finally, for the top-most grades we are definitely of the opinion that
minds in public service entry into these services should be restricted to graduates. This view is based
on our opinion that for the highest Executive and Administrative services a
values. While it is true that maturity of outlook and cultural standard is required which, by and large, can
it would be possible to naturally be expected of graduates. For these services, therefore, we recommend
inculcate public service ethos the age level of 21 to 23.”
in young minds, one has to Committee on Recruitment Policy and Selection Methods (1976; Kothari
Committee): This Committee suggested the continuance of the existing
recognize that most entrants minimum educational qualification as a university degree. It also examined
to the civil service are drawn the age limit for eligibility.
to it by the opportunities a Committee to Review the Scheme of the Civil Services Examination
civil service career offers for (1989, Satish Chandra Committee): This Committee favoured the existing
requirement of graduation as a qualification for taking the Civil Services Exam.
public service and that being It also examined the issue of age limit.
the case, a certain aptitude The Civil Services Examination Review Committee (2001; Yoginder
for public service is inherent Alagh Committee): This Committee touched upon the issue of qualification
in the decision to join the required and the age limit for the civil services examination. It had the
following to say:
civil services. Public service
“It is shown by research that there is a positive correlation between a higher
ethos is an outcome of a level of education and performance in the Examination. Besides, considering
process of socialization that the magnitude and importance of this examination, the graduate requirement
all individuals go through. seems to discourage the non-serious candidates who may apply in large number
without any serious preparation and understanding for purpose of trial and may
The four main influences ultimately clog the system. In view of this, it is essential to prescribe graduation
in this context are the as the minimum educational qualification as the candidates are expected to
reach a certain level of, maturity by that time. In this way, it will work as a
family, culture, school and filter. However, the Committee recommends that the candidates may continue
the State. While a career- to be permitted to take the Preliminary Examination while studying for their
oriented course has a value, degree, as at present”.
the values of a public servant
are shaped by external factors and societal influence. Significant orientation, in fact, occurs in
the formative years of a child’s development. Training is essentially to impart skills. Education
on the other hand, is to develop the faculties of an individual and imbibe values.
5.3.3.6 It may be recognized that for the Armed Forces, it makes sense to catch the potential
recruits young and put them through a rigorous training and educational programme
designed to uniquely serve the needs of the armed forces. This may not be ideal for the civil
services which have a somewhat a different nature of duties and responsibilities. Several
years of training and comraderie in a training institution for the officer corps in the defence
85
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
forces helps knitting them into a cohesive team with strong bonds and a common purpose.
This has obvious advantages in uniformed, hierarchical armed forces. Civil services have
to deal with all segments of society, and have to respond to the urges of citizens. Civilian
public servants have to function in a democratic milieu and are accountable to elected
political executive on a day-to day basis.
5.3.4 Systems in Other Countries
5.3.4.1 In this regard, a study of the recruitment systems to the higher civil services in various
countries yields useful insights. The Commission has looked into the French recruitment
system to the civil services and held discussions with the French Authorities. France has an
elaborate network of civil service schools which are higher education institutions separate
from public universities. Each of them is run under the supervision of the concerned
Minister. The premier school, the ENA (‘Ecole Nationale d’ Administration’ or ‘National
School of Administration) is supervised by the Prime Minister but managed by the Ministry
of Civil Service. Entry to these schools is through competitive examinations, open to
candidates fulfilling objective criteria such as age and level of education i.e. a graduate
degree. The ENA is an administrative establishment of the government which trains top-
level civil servants. The ENA was created for two purposes:
• to standardize the recruitment of civil servants meant for a wide variety of careers,
and
• to ensure professional training of the highest quality for those civil servants who
are expected to rise to the highest levels of public service.
5.3.4.2 Recruitment of the students to the ENA is made through three streams:
• ‘external’ competition, open to students under 28 years of age who already hold a
degree equivalent to a licence; this competitive examination is open to members
of the European community.
• ‘internal’ competition, open to civil servants or public sector employees with a
minimum of four years service, and under 35 years of age on January 1st of the
year they sit for the competitive examination.
• a competition, open to persons under 40 years of age with at least 8 years of
professional experience in any sector other than public administration, or who
have held office for at least 8 years as a member of an elected regional body.
86
Recruitment
5.3.4.3 ENA students complete a one-year professional internship followed by 15 months
of course work. At the end of their studies, students are ranked according to their academic
merit and, in the order of decreasing merit, asked to choose the service they wish to join,
the best ranked graduate having the widest choice, the last one having none.
5.3.4.4 Thus, the French system is not a post-school recruitment system, though it has
several special features of its own.
5.3.4.5 The vast majority of countries do not follow a post-school recruitment system
for the civil services. Several countries, including those that have undertaken civil service
reforms such as USA, UK, Australia, Singapore have not adopted the post-school system
of recruitment to the civil services.
5.3.4.6 The Commission has carefully examined the strengths and weaknesses of the existing
system as well as post-school recruitment system. After careful consideration it is of the
view that in order to combine the advantages of the post-school system with the existing
system, a new system (post-school grooming) should be developed over the next few years
so that it becomes the main source of recruitment for the civil services in the future. This
system is described in the following paragraphs.
5.3.5 Post-School Grooming for a Public Services Career
5.3.5.1 Modern administration involves facing complex challenges in critical sectors like
public policy, policing, urban and rural development, delivery of justice, health care,
education, land management, infrastructure, to name a few. These are intricate and often
inter-related issues which require a set of knowledge and skills and an understanding that
conventional university courses do not adequately provide because unlike other specialized
courses, public administration as a subject has still not evolved into a full-fledged graduate
course in our universities. As a result, students who appear for the Civil Services Examination
may have outstanding academic records in other professional courses but often lack the
desired level of knowledge in areas pertaining to their future career in the Civil Services.
This underscores the need to introduce in our higher education curriculum, a formal degree
course in public policy and management which is necessary and would be of immense
value for a person seeking a career in the Civil Services. The syllabi in public policy and
management must include an understanding and insight of our Constitution and laws, the
political system, social and economic concerns, public services, human resource management
and core principles of good governance. This envisages introduction of specially designed
new courses which will include the above subjects in a single graduate degree which will
become a part of the university curriculum.
87
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
forces helps knitting them into a cohesive team with strong bonds and a common purpose.
This has obvious advantages in uniformed, hierarchical armed forces. Civil services have
to deal with all segments of society, and have to respond to the urges of citizens. Civilian
public servants have to function in a democratic milieu and are accountable to elected
political executive on a day-to day basis.
5.3.4 Systems in Other Countries
5.3.4.1 In this regard, a study of the recruitment systems to the higher civil services in various
countries yields useful insights. The Commission has looked into the French recruitment
system to the civil services and held discussions with the French Authorities. France has an
elaborate network of civil service schools which are higher education institutions separate
from public universities. Each of them is run under the supervision of the concerned
Minister. The premier school, the ENA (‘Ecole Nationale d’ Administration’ or ‘National
School of Administration) is supervised by the Prime Minister but managed by the Ministry
of Civil Service. Entry to these schools is through competitive examinations, open to
candidates fulfilling objective criteria such as age and level of education i.e. a graduate
degree. The ENA is an administrative establishment of the government which trains top-
level civil servants. The ENA was created for two purposes:
• to standardize the recruitment of civil servants meant for a wide variety of careers,
and
• to ensure professional training of the highest quality for those civil servants who
are expected to rise to the highest levels of public service.
5.3.4.2 Recruitment of the students to the ENA is made through three streams:
• ‘external’ competition, open to students under 28 years of age who already hold a
degree equivalent to a licence; this competitive examination is open to members
of the European community.
• ‘internal’ competition, open to civil servants or public sector employees with a
minimum of four years service, and under 35 years of age on January 1st of the
year they sit for the competitive examination.
• a competition, open to persons under 40 years of age with at least 8 years of
professional experience in any sector other than public administration, or who
have held office for at least 8 years as a member of an elected regional body.
86
Recruitment
5.3.4.3 ENA students complete a one-year professional internship followed by 15 months
of course work. At the end of their studies, students are ranked according to their academic
merit and, in the order of decreasing merit, asked to choose the service they wish to join,
the best ranked graduate having the widest choice, the last one having none.
5.3.4.4 Thus, the French system is not a post-school recruitment system, though it has
several special features of its own.
5.3.4.5 The vast majority of countries do not follow a post-school recruitment system
for the civil services. Several countries, including those that have undertaken civil service
reforms such as USA, UK, Australia, Singapore have not adopted the post-school system
of recruitment to the civil services.
5.3.4.6 The Commission has carefully examined the strengths and weaknesses of the existing
system as well as post-school recruitment system. After careful consideration it is of the
view that in order to combine the advantages of the post-school system with the existing
system, a new system (post-school grooming) should be developed over the next few years
so that it becomes the main source of recruitment for the civil services in the future. This
system is described in the following paragraphs.
5.3.5 Post-School Grooming for a Public Services Career
5.3.5.1 Modern administration involves facing complex challenges in critical sectors like
public policy, policing, urban and rural development, delivery of justice, health care,
education, land management, infrastructure, to name a few. These are intricate and often
inter-related issues which require a set of knowledge and skills and an understanding that
conventional university courses do not adequately provide because unlike other specialized
courses, public administration as a subject has still not evolved into a full-fledged graduate
course in our universities. As a result, students who appear for the Civil Services Examination
may have outstanding academic records in other professional courses but often lack the
desired level of knowledge in areas pertaining to their future career in the Civil Services.
This underscores the need to introduce in our higher education curriculum, a formal degree
course in public policy and management which is necessary and would be of immense
value for a person seeking a career in the Civil Services. The syllabi in public policy and
management must include an understanding and insight of our Constitution and laws, the
political system, social and economic concerns, public services, human resource management
and core principles of good governance. This envisages introduction of specially designed
new courses which will include the above subjects in a single graduate degree which will
become a part of the university curriculum.
87
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
5.3.5.2 Such graduate level courses can be introduced either by setting up exclusive
institutions for this purpose or by making the courses available through selected existing
universities and institutions both at the national and State levels. The French ENA is an
example of the former, whereas institutions such as the Kennedy School of Governance
and the Maxwell Centre for Public Policy in the USA are examples of the latter. Given the
rapid expansion of the University system in India, the Commission is of the view that both
approaches are relevant for the country. Government of India should not only establish a
few National Institutes of Public Administration (of the standard of IITs and IIMs) but
some reputed universities and institutions should be assisted in introducing these specialized
courses in public administration and related subjects. By focusing on the quality of students
admitted to these institutions, the faculty, the course content, the educational processes,
evaluation systems, learning resources and the governance of these institutions, it should be
possible to create a pool of well qualified and informed applicants for the civil services.
5.3.5.3 While it is expected that in due course, applicants who have undergone the
above-mentioned course will have a comparative advantage in the Civil Services
Examination, it will also not be desirable to totally block the chances of other students
who wish to appear for the Civil Services Examination. Arguably, the entry of graduates
from other disciplines like engineering, science and medicine and the liberal arts etc. has
enriched the repertoire of the civil service; they have brought into the services a significant
degree of sophistication in terms of clarity of thinking, diversity of view-points, analytical
ability, human relationship and implementation skills. However, in order to equip graduates
from other disciplines for a career in the civil services it would be necessary to educate
them in the core subjects mentioned earlier. Therefore, the Commission is of the view
that graduates from other disciplines may be permitted to compete for the civil services
examination but only after they have successfully completed a “bridge” course in public
administration. These bridge courses could be offered by the selected institutes/universities
in such a manner that aspiring candidates can pursue these along with their regular courses
of studies. Such courses should also be offered through modern e-learning platforms to
extend the reach of the bridge courses.
5.3.5.4 These two streams of students will constitute the pool of applicants for the Civil
Services Examination. This would ensure that all applicants will have the pre-requisite
knowledge, understanding and sensitivity which a civil servant should possess. Candidates
from these two streams, on completion of their courses, will be required to appear for the
Civil Services Examination to be conducted annually by the UPSC. The Commission has
examined in detail the structure and content of this examination and made recommendations
in paragraph 5.5. In the long run, it is expected that the specialized centres of excellence
88
Recruitment
(National Institutes of Public Administration) would evolve as the major source of
recruitment to the civil services. The National Institutes of Public Administration will not
only increase competition for selection in the public services by the education they provide
to candidates, but will also facilitate admission to the disadvantaged and weaker sections
of society by providing need-based scholarships to meritorious students. The Commission
is of the view that this policy will serve the twin objectives of nurturing excellence and
promoting inclusion.
5.3.5.5 In this context, the proposed graduate level courses in public administration could
be structured in the following manner. The initial duration of these courses would be
three years. The courses should have core subjects as well as certain optional subjects. The
core subjects could include Constitution of India, Indian legal system, administrative law,
Indian economy, Indian polity, Indian history and culture etc. The design of the curricula
for the public administration courses to be offered by the selected universities as well as the
‘Bridge Course’ and the admission criteria should be developed by an Expert Committee
to be appointed immediately by the Government in consultation with the UPSC. This
Committee should inter alia have the following terms of reference:
a. Laying down norms for identification of universities and institutes where the
said courses would be conducted.
b. Design and content of the curricula for the said courses in public
administration.
c. Prescribing the modalities of admission for these courses.
d. Prescribing the modalities and design of the bridge courses.
89
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
5.3.5.2 Such graduate level courses can be introduced either by setting up exclusive
institutions for this purpose or by making the courses available through selected existing
universities and institutions both at the national and State levels. The French ENA is an
example of the former, whereas institutions such as the Kennedy School of Governance
and the Maxwell Centre for Public Policy in the USA are examples of the latter. Given the
rapid expansion of the University system in India, the Commission is of the view that both
approaches are relevant for the country. Government of India should not only establish a
few National Institutes of Public Administration (of the standard of IITs and IIMs) but
some reputed universities and institutions should be assisted in introducing these specialized
courses in public administration and related subjects. By focusing on the quality of students
admitted to these institutions, the faculty, the course content, the educational processes,
evaluation systems, learning resources and the governance of these institutions, it should be
possible to create a pool of well qualified and informed applicants for the civil services.
5.3.5.3 While it is expected that in due course, applicants who have undergone the
above-mentioned course will have a comparative advantage in the Civil Services
Examination, it will also not be desirable to totally block the chances of other students
who wish to appear for the Civil Services Examination. Arguably, the entry of graduates
from other disciplines like engineering, science and medicine and the liberal arts etc. has
enriched the repertoire of the civil service; they have brought into the services a significant
degree of sophistication in terms of clarity of thinking, diversity of view-points, analytical
ability, human relationship and implementation skills. However, in order to equip graduates
from other disciplines for a career in the civil services it would be necessary to educate
them in the core subjects mentioned earlier. Therefore, the Commission is of the view
that graduates from other disciplines may be permitted to compete for the civil services
examination but only after they have successfully completed a “bridge” course in public
administration. These bridge courses could be offered by the selected institutes/universities
in such a manner that aspiring candidates can pursue these along with their regular courses
of studies. Such courses should also be offered through modern e-learning platforms to
extend the reach of the bridge courses.
5.3.5.4 These two streams of students will constitute the pool of applicants for the Civil
Services Examination. This would ensure that all applicants will have the pre-requisite
knowledge, understanding and sensitivity which a civil servant should possess. Candidates
from these two streams, on completion of their courses, will be required to appear for the
Civil Services Examination to be conducted annually by the UPSC. The Commission has
examined in detail the structure and content of this examination and made recommendations
in paragraph 5.5. In the long run, it is expected that the specialized centres of excellence
88
Recruitment
(National Institutes of Public Administration) would evolve as the major source of
recruitment to the civil services. The National Institutes of Public Administration will not
only increase competition for selection in the public services by the education they provide
to candidates, but will also facilitate admission to the disadvantaged and weaker sections
of society by providing need-based scholarships to meritorious students. The Commission
is of the view that this policy will serve the twin objectives of nurturing excellence and
promoting inclusion.
5.3.5.5 In this context, the proposed graduate level courses in public administration could
be structured in the following manner. The initial duration of these courses would be
three years. The courses should have core subjects as well as certain optional subjects. The
core subjects could include Constitution of India, Indian legal system, administrative law,
Indian economy, Indian polity, Indian history and culture etc. The design of the curricula
for the public administration courses to be offered by the selected universities as well as the
‘Bridge Course’ and the admission criteria should be developed by an Expert Committee
to be appointed immediately by the Government in consultation with the UPSC. This
Committee should inter alia have the following terms of reference:
a. Laying down norms for identification of universities and institutes where the
said courses would be conducted.
b. Design and content of the curricula for the said courses in public
administration.
c. Prescribing the modalities of admission for these courses.
d. Prescribing the modalities and design of the bridge courses.
89
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

The Commission strongly recommends that the Expert Committee be appointed straightway such as Constitution of India, Indian legal system, administrative law, Indian economy,
so that the new courses could be started in atleast some institutions/universities from Indian polity, Indian history and culture. These changes in the examination system are
the coming academic year. The Commission also feels that the bridge courses and their in synchronization with the recommendations of the Commission on the post-school
effectiveness should be reviewed based on the experience of five years. channelisation of students for a career in the civil services.

5.3.5.6 After successful completion of the three-year programme in the selected universities,
candidates will be given a Bachelor’s degree in public administration/public policy/public
management. These graduates will have the freedom to either appear in the civil services
examination or pursue higher studies or any other career of their choice.
5.3.5.7 An added advantage of this system would be that a large pool of professionally
educated administrators would be created which could also be tapped by the State and Local
Governments and other public and private organizations. This is of particular relevance in
the context of the expanding functions of the local governments after the passing of the
Seventy Third and Seventy Fourth Constitutional Amendments, the need to strengthen
State administrations and the increasing role of voluntary organizations and public-private
partnership.
5.3.5.8 Alongwith the setting up of insitutes of public administration and identification
of universities for running courses on Public Administration, the entrance examination
system for the civil services would also require corresponding reforms. The Commission
has studied the content of the papers prescribed under the present scheme of the
Civil Services Examination in Paragraphs 5.5.3 and 5.5.5. At present, there is a very
large number of optional subjects some of which have almost no nexus with the issues or
problems that a civil servant may need to address. In this context, the Alagh Committee
had recommended that:
5.3.5.10 The Commission recognizes that the system proposed - post-school grooming-
especially the setting up institutes of public administration as well as identification of the
universities for conducting public management/public administration courses constitutes a
major reform relating to an important area of governance. It will need coordinated guidance,
especially in the initial years. In view of its importance, the Commission would recommend
the constitution of a high-level oversight/coordination committee with the Prime Minister
as Chairman, to meet once in three months and give guidance to the implementing agencies
and concerned institutions.
5.3.5.11 The Commission recognizes that the proposed reforms will require a lead time of
some years. Meanwhile, the Commission has examined other aspects of the Civil Services
Examination and recommended lowering the upper age limit, reducing the number of
attempts and a revised structure of the Civil Services Examination. These recommendations
can be implemented straightaway. These examination reforms would pave the way for a
seamless transition to the system of recruitment focusing on acquisition of post-school
professional qualifications by aspiring civil servants.

“The present testing of optional subjects is based on college/university curriculum.

Re-examining the candidates in their own subjects appears to be of doubtful utility.
The universities have already done the work and retesting, possibly even at a lower
level that what candidates have completed earlier, appears to be unnecessary., What
is important is the relevance of a subject to the job requirements of a civil servant,
especially in the changing scenario.”

5.3.5.9 The Commission agrees with the views of the Alagh Committee (the Civil Services
Examination Review Committee) that what is important is the relevance of these subjects
to the job requirements of a civil servant. The Commission has therefore recommended
in para 5.5.6 that the preliminary and main exams should comprise compulsory subjects

90 91
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

The Commission strongly recommends that the Expert Committee be appointed straightway such as Constitution of India, Indian legal system, administrative law, Indian economy,
so that the new courses could be started in atleast some institutions/universities from Indian polity, Indian history and culture. These changes in the examination system are
the coming academic year. The Commission also feels that the bridge courses and their in synchronization with the recommendations of the Commission on the post-school
effectiveness should be reviewed based on the experience of five years. channelisation of students for a career in the civil services.

5.3.5.6 After successful completion of the three-year programme in the selected universities,
candidates will be given a Bachelor’s degree in public administration/public policy/public
management. These graduates will have the freedom to either appear in the civil services
examination or pursue higher studies or any other career of their choice.
5.3.5.7 An added advantage of this system would be that a large pool of professionally
educated administrators would be created which could also be tapped by the State and Local
Governments and other public and private organizations. This is of particular relevance in
the context of the expanding functions of the local governments after the passing of the
Seventy Third and Seventy Fourth Constitutional Amendments, the need to strengthen
State administrations and the increasing role of voluntary organizations and public-private
partnership.
5.3.5.8 Alongwith the setting up of insitutes of public administration and identification
of universities for running courses on Public Administration, the entrance examination
system for the civil services would also require corresponding reforms. The Commission
has studied the content of the papers prescribed under the present scheme of the
Civil Services Examination in Paragraphs 5.5.3 and 5.5.5. At present, there is a very
large number of optional subjects some of which have almost no nexus with the issues or
problems that a civil servant may need to address. In this context, the Alagh Committee
had recommended that:
5.3.5.10 The Commission recognizes that the system proposed - post-school grooming-
especially the setting up institutes of public administration as well as identification of the
universities for conducting public management/public administration courses constitutes a
major reform relating to an important area of governance. It will need coordinated guidance,
especially in the initial years. In view of its importance, the Commission would recommend
the constitution of a high-level oversight/coordination committee with the Prime Minister
as Chairman, to meet once in three months and give guidance to the implementing agencies
and concerned institutions.
5.3.5.11 The Commission recognizes that the proposed reforms will require a lead time of
some years. Meanwhile, the Commission has examined other aspects of the Civil Services
Examination and recommended lowering the upper age limit, reducing the number of
attempts and a revised structure of the Civil Services Examination. These recommendations
can be implemented straightaway. These examination reforms would pave the way for a
seamless transition to the system of recruitment focusing on acquisition of post-school
professional qualifications by aspiring civil servants.

“The present testing of optional subjects is based on college/university curriculum.

Re-examining the candidates in their own subjects appears to be of doubtful utility.
The universities have already done the work and retesting, possibly even at a lower
level that what candidates have completed earlier, appears to be unnecessary., What
is important is the relevance of a subject to the job requirements of a civil servant,
especially in the changing scenario.”

5.3.5.9 The Commission agrees with the views of the Alagh Committee (the Civil Services
Examination Review Committee) that what is important is the relevance of these subjects
to the job requirements of a civil servant. The Commission has therefore recommended
in para 5.5.6 that the preliminary and main exams should comprise compulsory subjects

90 91
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
5.3.6 Recommendations
a. Government of India should establish National Institutes of Public
Administration to run Bachelor’s Degree courses in public administration/
governance/management. In the long run it is expected that these specialized
centres of excellence (National Institutes of Public Administration) would
evolve as major sources of civil services aspirants.
b. Selected Central and other Universities should also be assisted to offer such
graduate level programmes in public administration/governance/public
management which will produce graduates to further expand the pool of
eligible applicants to the civil services.
c. The courses offered in these universities should include core subjects such
as the Constitution of India, Indian legal system, administrative law, Indian
economy, Indian polity, Indian history and culture apart from optional
subjects.
d. Graduates of the above mentioned special courses from the National
Institutes of Public Administration and selected universities would be
eligible for appearing in the Civil Services Examinations. Further, graduates
in other disciplines would also be eligible to appear in the Civil Services
Examination provided they complete a ‘Bridge Course’ in the core subjects
mentioned above. The Bridge course should be run by the same selected national
institutes/universities, which conduct the graduate level courses stated in
(c) above.
e. Liberal need-based scholarships should be provided to students admitted
to the Institutes/Universities.
f. An ‘Expert Committee’ should be appointed immediately by the
Government in consultation with UPSC to develop the curricula and
determine the admission policy to these selected institutes/universities.
This Committee should inter alia have the following terms of reference:
i. Lay down norms for identification universities and institutes where
the said courses would be conducted.
ii. Design the content of the curricula for the said courses in public
administration.
92
Recruitment
iii. Prescribe the modalities for admission to these courses.
iv. Prescribe the modalities and design of the bridge courses.
The Commission strongly recommends that the Expert Committee be
appointed straightway so that the new courses could be started in some
of these institutions/universities from the coming academic year. The
Commission also feels that the bridge courses and their effectiveness should
be reviewed based on the experience of five years.
g. Since this is a major reform relating to an important area of governance and
will need coordinated guidance, especially in the initial years, a high-level
oversight/coordination committee with the Prime Minister as Chairman
may be constituted to meet once in three months and give guidance to the
implementing agencies and concerned institutions.
h. The reforms to the scheme of the examination system as recommended in
paragraph 5.5 may be taken up immediately. Examination and Recruitment
reforms following the introduction of public administration/governance
management as a full-fledged degree course in National Institutes of
Public Administration and selected universities would take some time to
be operationalised. Till then, the existing system, where students from all
disciplines can appear for the competitive examinations, may continue.
i. Students who have acquired a graduation degree in the above-mentioned
course would have option to join any other career of their choice either in
the public or private sector.
5.4 Age of Entry and Number of Attempts
5.4.1 As mentioned above, the age limit for writing the civil services examination in the
1960s and the early 1970s was 24 years for the general category candidates with a relaxation
of 5 years for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes. During the
last three decades, there has been a progressive increase in the age limit. Presently, candidates
from the general category are permitted to write the civil services examination until the age
of 30 years with relaxations of 3 and 5 years respectively for candidates belonging to the
Other Backward Classes (OBC) and SC/ST. As a result of this increase in the age limit,
there has been a discernible change in the age profile of the fresh entrants as Table 5.3
shows. In fact, while the average age of a fresh entrant was about 24 years in the 1960s and
93
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
5.3.6 Recommendations
a. Government of India should establish National Institutes of Public
Administration to run Bachelor’s Degree courses in public administration/
governance/management. In the long run it is expected that these specialized
centres of excellence (National Institutes of Public Administration) would
evolve as major sources of civil services aspirants.
b. Selected Central and other Universities should also be assisted to offer such
graduate level programmes in public administration/governance/public
management which will produce graduates to further expand the pool of
eligible applicants to the civil services.
c. The courses offered in these universities should include core subjects such
as the Constitution of India, Indian legal system, administrative law, Indian
economy, Indian polity, Indian history and culture apart from optional
subjects.
d. Graduates of the above mentioned special courses from the National
Institutes of Public Administration and selected universities would be
eligible for appearing in the Civil Services Examinations. Further, graduates
in other disciplines would also be eligible to appear in the Civil Services
Examination provided they complete a ‘Bridge Course’ in the core subjects
mentioned above. The Bridge course should be run by the same selected national
institutes/universities, which conduct the graduate level courses stated in
(c) above.
e. Liberal need-based scholarships should be provided to students admitted
to the Institutes/Universities.
f. An ‘Expert Committee’ should be appointed immediately by the
Government in consultation with UPSC to develop the curricula and
determine the admission policy to these selected institutes/universities.
This Committee should inter alia have the following terms of reference:
i. Lay down norms for identification universities and institutes where
the said courses would be conducted.
ii. Design the content of the curricula for the said courses in public
administration.
92
Recruitment
iii. Prescribe the modalities for admission to these courses.
iv. Prescribe the modalities and design of the bridge courses.
The Commission strongly recommends that the Expert Committee be
appointed straightway so that the new courses could be started in some
of these institutions/universities from the coming academic year. The
Commission also feels that the bridge courses and their effectiveness should
be reviewed based on the experience of five years.
g. Since this is a major reform relating to an important area of governance and
will need coordinated guidance, especially in the initial years, a high-level
oversight/coordination committee with the Prime Minister as Chairman
may be constituted to meet once in three months and give guidance to the
implementing agencies and concerned institutions.
h. The reforms to the scheme of the examination system as recommended in
paragraph 5.5 may be taken up immediately. Examination and Recruitment
reforms following the introduction of public administration/governance
management as a full-fledged degree course in National Institutes of
Public Administration and selected universities would take some time to
be operationalised. Till then, the existing system, where students from all
disciplines can appear for the competitive examinations, may continue.
i. Students who have acquired a graduation degree in the above-mentioned
course would have option to join any other career of their choice either in
the public or private sector.
5.4 Age of Entry and Number of Attempts
5.4.1 As mentioned above, the age limit for writing the civil services examination in the
1960s and the early 1970s was 24 years for the general category candidates with a relaxation
of 5 years for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes. During the
last three decades, there has been a progressive increase in the age limit. Presently, candidates
from the general category are permitted to write the civil services examination until the age
of 30 years with relaxations of 3 and 5 years respectively for candidates belonging to the
Other Backward Classes (OBC) and SC/ST. As a result of this increase in the age limit,
there has been a discernible change in the age profile of the fresh entrants as Table 5.3
shows. In fact, while the average age of a fresh entrant was about 24 years in the 1960s and
93
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

early 1970s, it is now about 27 years. In the case of the IAS, the figures for average age of
Table 5.4 : IAS 1960-2004: Average Age at Entry (Contd.)
entry are presented in Table 5.4.
Batch Eligible No. of Officers Average Age of Entry into IAS
Table 5.4 : IAS 1960-2004: Average Age at Entry max.
age for
Batch Eligible No. of Officers Average Age of Entry into IAS General Total Gen SC ST OBC Overall Gen SC ST OBC
max.
age for 1983 28 157 122 25 10 0 25.8 25.1 29.1 26.6 NA
General Total Gen SC ST OBC Overall Gen SC ST OBC
1984 28 142 109 21 12 0 26.1 25.3 28.7 28.6 NA
1960 24 49 43 1 5 0 24.2 23.6 29.0 28.5 NA
1985 28 159 123 23 13 0 25.6 25.0 27.6 27.7 NA
1961 24 60 50 7 3 0 24.2 23.7 27.7 24.3 NA
1986 28 135 106 19 10 0 26.4 25.8 29.5 27.4 NA
1962 24 83 62 17 4 0 24.6 23.9 26.5 28.3 NA
1987 28 125 97 20 8 0 25.4 25.0 27.4 26.2
1963 24 69 58 8 3 0 24.4 24.0 26.4 26.6 NA
Group Average 1113 865 166 82 0 25.9 25.3 28.3 27.4
1964 24 84 70 11 3 0 24.4 23.8 27.8 26.0 NA
1988 26 114 89 17 8 0 25.4 24.8 27.5 26.5 NA
1965 24 105 87 14 4 0 24.4 23.8 27.4 25.8 NA
1989 26 109 83 16 10 0 25.1 24.6 27.0 26.5 NA
1966 24 108 90 12 6 0 23.9 23.6 25.7 25.9 NA
1990 26 106 82 16 8 0 25.3 25.0 25.8 26.8 NA
1967 24 122 101 16 5 0 24.2 23.7 27.3 25.7 NA
Group Average 329 254 49 26 0 25.2 24.8 26.8 26.6
1968 24 80 63 14 3 0 24.3 23.5 27.4 27.5 NA
1991 31 106 84 14 8 0 25.7 25.3 27.6 26.4 NA
1969 24 69 54 13 2 0 24.2 23.5 27.3 23.8 NA
1992 28 81 62 12 7 0 25.4 24.7 28.0 26.8 NA
1970 24 81 65 11 5 0 24.2 23.7 26.7 25.6 NA
1993 33 80 60 14 6 0 25.6 25.2 26.6 27.2 NA
1971 24 81 67 12 2 0 24.1 23.5 27.6 24.8 NA
Group Average 267 206 40 21 0 25.6 25.1 27.4 26.7
1972 24 135 104 22 9 0 24.4 23.6 27.2 25.8 NA
1994 28 80 62 12 6 0 25.8 25.1 28.3 28.7 NA
Group Average 1126 914 158 54 0 24.3 23.7 27.1 26.2
1995 28 79 35 12 6 26 26.1 25.3 28.1 27.6 25.9
1973 26 116 84 23 9 0 25.2 24.1 28.1 27.8 NA
1996 28 80 37 12 6 25 25.7 24.9 27.0 25.8 26.2
1974 26 140 110 20 10 0 24.9 24.4 27.3 25.1 NA
1997 28 76 35 13 6 22 26.6 26.0 27.0 27.2 27.2
1975 26 127 97 18 12 0 24.9 24.1 27.4 27.3 NA
1998 28 55 25 8 5 17 26.1 24.8 28.4 27.3 26.5
1976 26 137 112 19 6 0 25.2 24.5 28.8 26.4 NA
1999 28 54 27 7 3 17 26.3 25.3 28.6 26.6 26.9
1977 26 152 113 23 16 0 25.1 24.5 27.9 25.8 NA
Group Average 424 221 64 32 107 26.1 25.2 27.8 27.3 26.5
1978 26 130 100 21 9 0 24.8 24.2 26.8 25.8 NA
2000 30 56 23 8 4 21 26.0 25.9 26.3 25.8 25.9
1979 26 119 95 17 7 0 24.9 24.4 27.1 25.3 NA
2001 30 57 28 9 4 16 27.2 26.6 27.2 26.5 28.6
Group Average 921 711 141 69 0 25.0 24.3 27.7 26.2
2002 30 59 23 10 6 20 27.0 26.0 28.4 26.0 27.9
1980 28 123 94 19 10 0 25.6 25.1 27.6 26.8 NA
2003 30 71 32 12 7 20 27.3 26.7 27.9 29.0 27.3
1981 28 128 101 18 9 0 25.9 25.3 28.0 27.4 NA
2004 30 89 40 15 5 29 27.4 26.9 26.8 29.2 28.1
1982 28 144 113 21 10 0 26.1 25.6 28.1 28.4 NA
2005 30 91 39 12 6 34 27.5 27.1 28.5 30.2 27.3

94 95
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

early 1970s, it is now about 27 years. In the case of the IAS, the figures for average age of
Table 5.4 : IAS 1960-2004: Average Age at Entry (Contd.)
entry are presented in Table 5.4.
Batch Eligible No. of Officers Average Age of Entry into IAS
Table 5.4 : IAS 1960-2004: Average Age at Entry max.
age for
Batch Eligible No. of Officers Average Age of Entry into IAS General Total Gen SC ST OBC Overall Gen SC ST OBC
max.
age for 1983 28 157 122 25 10 0 25.8 25.1 29.1 26.6 NA
General Total Gen SC ST OBC Overall Gen SC ST OBC
1984 28 142 109 21 12 0 26.1 25.3 28.7 28.6 NA
1960 24 49 43 1 5 0 24.2 23.6 29.0 28.5 NA
1985 28 159 123 23 13 0 25.6 25.0 27.6 27.7 NA
1961 24 60 50 7 3 0 24.2 23.7 27.7 24.3 NA
1986 28 135 106 19 10 0 26.4 25.8 29.5 27.4 NA
1962 24 83 62 17 4 0 24.6 23.9 26.5 28.3 NA
1987 28 125 97 20 8 0 25.4 25.0 27.4 26.2
1963 24 69 58 8 3 0 24.4 24.0 26.4 26.6 NA
Group Average 1113 865 166 82 0 25.9 25.3 28.3 27.4
1964 24 84 70 11 3 0 24.4 23.8 27.8 26.0 NA
1988 26 114 89 17 8 0 25.4 24.8 27.5 26.5 NA
1965 24 105 87 14 4 0 24.4 23.8 27.4 25.8 NA
1989 26 109 83 16 10 0 25.1 24.6 27.0 26.5 NA
1966 24 108 90 12 6 0 23.9 23.6 25.7 25.9 NA
1990 26 106 82 16 8 0 25.3 25.0 25.8 26.8 NA
1967 24 122 101 16 5 0 24.2 23.7 27.3 25.7 NA
Group Average 329 254 49 26 0 25.2 24.8 26.8 26.6
1968 24 80 63 14 3 0 24.3 23.5 27.4 27.5 NA
1991 31 106 84 14 8 0 25.7 25.3 27.6 26.4 NA
1969 24 69 54 13 2 0 24.2 23.5 27.3 23.8 NA
1992 28 81 62 12 7 0 25.4 24.7 28.0 26.8 NA
1970 24 81 65 11 5 0 24.2 23.7 26.7 25.6 NA
1993 33 80 60 14 6 0 25.6 25.2 26.6 27.2 NA
1971 24 81 67 12 2 0 24.1 23.5 27.6 24.8 NA
Group Average 267 206 40 21 0 25.6 25.1 27.4 26.7
1972 24 135 104 22 9 0 24.4 23.6 27.2 25.8 NA
1994 28 80 62 12 6 0 25.8 25.1 28.3 28.7 NA
Group Average 1126 914 158 54 0 24.3 23.7 27.1 26.2
1995 28 79 35 12 6 26 26.1 25.3 28.1 27.6 25.9
1973 26 116 84 23 9 0 25.2 24.1 28.1 27.8 NA
1996 28 80 37 12 6 25 25.7 24.9 27.0 25.8 26.2
1974 26 140 110 20 10 0 24.9 24.4 27.3 25.1 NA
1997 28 76 35 13 6 22 26.6 26.0 27.0 27.2 27.2
1975 26 127 97 18 12 0 24.9 24.1 27.4 27.3 NA
1998 28 55 25 8 5 17 26.1 24.8 28.4 27.3 26.5
1976 26 137 112 19 6 0 25.2 24.5 28.8 26.4 NA
1999 28 54 27 7 3 17 26.3 25.3 28.6 26.6 26.9
1977 26 152 113 23 16 0 25.1 24.5 27.9 25.8 NA
Group Average 424 221 64 32 107 26.1 25.2 27.8 27.3 26.5
1978 26 130 100 21 9 0 24.8 24.2 26.8 25.8 NA
2000 30 56 23 8 4 21 26.0 25.9 26.3 25.8 25.9
1979 26 119 95 17 7 0 24.9 24.4 27.1 25.3 NA
2001 30 57 28 9 4 16 27.2 26.6 27.2 26.5 28.6
Group Average 921 711 141 69 0 25.0 24.3 27.7 26.2
2002 30 59 23 10 6 20 27.0 26.0 28.4 26.0 27.9
1980 28 123 94 19 10 0 25.6 25.1 27.6 26.8 NA
2003 30 71 32 12 7 20 27.3 26.7 27.9 29.0 27.3
1981 28 128 101 18 9 0 25.9 25.3 28.0 27.4 NA
2004 30 89 40 15 5 29 27.4 26.9 26.8 29.2 28.1
1982 28 144 113 21 10 0 26.1 25.6 28.1 28.4 NA
2005 30 91 39 12 6 34 27.5 27.1 28.5 30.2 27.3

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 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

Table 5.4 : IAS 1960-2004: Average Age at Entry (Contd.) Table 5.5: IAS – 1960-2004 : Percentage Eligible for Secretary

Batch Eligible No. of Officers % Eligibile for Secretary as per

Batch Eligible No. of Officers Average Age of Entry into IAS
max present norms
max.
age for Total General SC ST OBC General SC ST OBC
age for
General
General Total Gen SC ST OBC Overall Gen SC ST OBC
1960 24 49 43 1 5 0 33 0 0 NA
Group Average 423 185 66 32 140 27.2 26.6 27.5 28.0 27.5
1961 24 60 50 7 3 0 44 14 67 NA
Grand Total 4603 3356 684 316 247 25.4 24.7 27.6 26.9 27.1
1962 24 83 62 17 4 0 73 18 0 NA
Source: Cabinet Secretariat
1963 24 69 58 8 3 0 93 38 0 NA
1964 24 84 70 11 3 0 93 9 33 NA
5.4.2 In terms of numbers, the difference in the average age at entry is only 3 years. But its
impact on the system of values and beliefs that a civil servant will bring into the service is 1965 24 105 87 14 4 0 100 14 50 NA
undeniably significant. This needs to be viewed in the context that it is around the age of 1966 24 108 90 12 6 0 99 50 50 NA
23-24 years that an individual makes the transition from an open and receptive phase in 1967 24 122 101 16 5 0 100 25 60 NA
life to a phase where he/she starts getting ‘set’ in his/her views. This makes it difficult for a 1968 24 80 63 14 3 0 100 14 33 NA
civil servant entering at a later age to adapt to and internalize the core and intrinsic values
1969 24 69 54 13 2 0 100 31 100 NA
demanded of a civil service.
1970 24 81 65 11 5 0 98 27 40 NA
5.4.3 In addition, these late entrants will have a shorter service span, which means 1971 24 81 67 12 2 0 100 17 50 NA
that they may not have adequate opportunities to contribute to policy-making at 1972 24 135 104 22 9 0 99 18 44 NA
higher levels. Table 5.4 presents a theoretical exercise to find out the percentage of
Group % 1126 914 158 54 0 87 21 41 NA
civil servants eligible for consideration for empanelment at the level of a Secretary to
1973 26 116 84 23 9 0 86 13 0 NA
Government of India as per the present norms of age. It can be seen that, while for
1961 to 1972 batches of the IAS, about 21% of the SC officers and 41% of the ST 1974 26 140 110 20 10 0 75 30 50 NA
officers were eligible on these norms; in the last six years, these percentages have come 1975 26 127 97 18 12 0 77 11 17 NA
down to 15% and 21% respectively. Admittedly, these percentages only indicate the 1976 26 137 112 19 6 0 63 5 17 NA
eligibility of civil servants with regard to their age; it is quite likely that the results 1977 26 152 113 23 16 0 64 30 56 NA
in the actual empanelment would be significantly lower. Reservation for the OBCs
1978 26 130 100 21 9 0 66 33 56 NA
in the civil services started in the year 1995. As Table 5.4 shows, the average age of
entry in their case is also on the rise. Clearly, there has been a retrogression in the age 1979 26 119 95 17 7 0 66 18 71 NA
profile of officers belonging to these categories with very few of them being available Group % 921 711 141 69 0 71 20 38 NA
for posts at the level of Secretary and still fewer finally making it to that level. This 1980 28 123 94 19 10 0 54 16 30 NA
clearly militates against the interest of civil servants of categories who, because of their 1981 28 128 101 18 9 0 48 39 22 NA
inadequate service span, miss out on appointments at apex levels. 1982 28 144 113 21 10 0 42 24 20 NA
1983 28 157 122 25 10 0 52 0 30 NA
1984 28 142 109 21 12 0 51 14 33 NA
1985 28 159 123 23 13 0 52 30 15 NA

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 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

Table 5.4 : IAS 1960-2004: Average Age at Entry (Contd.) Table 5.5: IAS – 1960-2004 : Percentage Eligible for Secretary

Batch Eligible No. of Officers % Eligibile for Secretary as per

Batch Eligible No. of Officers Average Age of Entry into IAS
max present norms
max.
age for Total General SC ST OBC General SC ST OBC
age for
General
General Total Gen SC ST OBC Overall Gen SC ST OBC
1960 24 49 43 1 5 0 33 0 0 NA
Group Average 423 185 66 32 140 27.2 26.6 27.5 28.0 27.5
1961 24 60 50 7 3 0 44 14 67 NA
Grand Total 4603 3356 684 316 247 25.4 24.7 27.6 26.9 27.1
1962 24 83 62 17 4 0 73 18 0 NA
Source: Cabinet Secretariat
1963 24 69 58 8 3 0 93 38 0 NA
1964 24 84 70 11 3 0 93 9 33 NA
5.4.2 In terms of numbers, the difference in the average age at entry is only 3 years. But its
impact on the system of values and beliefs that a civil servant will bring into the service is 1965 24 105 87 14 4 0 100 14 50 NA
undeniably significant. This needs to be viewed in the context that it is around the age of 1966 24 108 90 12 6 0 99 50 50 NA
23-24 years that an individual makes the transition from an open and receptive phase in 1967 24 122 101 16 5 0 100 25 60 NA
life to a phase where he/she starts getting ‘set’ in his/her views. This makes it difficult for a 1968 24 80 63 14 3 0 100 14 33 NA
civil servant entering at a later age to adapt to and internalize the core and intrinsic values
1969 24 69 54 13 2 0 100 31 100 NA
demanded of a civil service.
1970 24 81 65 11 5 0 98 27 40 NA
5.4.3 In addition, these late entrants will have a shorter service span, which means 1971 24 81 67 12 2 0 100 17 50 NA
that they may not have adequate opportunities to contribute to policy-making at 1972 24 135 104 22 9 0 99 18 44 NA
higher levels. Table 5.4 presents a theoretical exercise to find out the percentage of
Group % 1126 914 158 54 0 87 21 41 NA
civil servants eligible for consideration for empanelment at the level of a Secretary to
1973 26 116 84 23 9 0 86 13 0 NA
Government of India as per the present norms of age. It can be seen that, while for
1961 to 1972 batches of the IAS, about 21% of the SC officers and 41% of the ST 1974 26 140 110 20 10 0 75 30 50 NA
officers were eligible on these norms; in the last six years, these percentages have come 1975 26 127 97 18 12 0 77 11 17 NA
down to 15% and 21% respectively. Admittedly, these percentages only indicate the 1976 26 137 112 19 6 0 63 5 17 NA
eligibility of civil servants with regard to their age; it is quite likely that the results 1977 26 152 113 23 16 0 64 30 56 NA
in the actual empanelment would be significantly lower. Reservation for the OBCs
1978 26 130 100 21 9 0 66 33 56 NA
in the civil services started in the year 1995. As Table 5.4 shows, the average age of
entry in their case is also on the rise. Clearly, there has been a retrogression in the age 1979 26 119 95 17 7 0 66 18 71 NA
profile of officers belonging to these categories with very few of them being available Group % 921 711 141 69 0 71 20 38 NA
for posts at the level of Secretary and still fewer finally making it to that level. This 1980 28 123 94 19 10 0 54 16 30 NA
clearly militates against the interest of civil servants of categories who, because of their 1981 28 128 101 18 9 0 48 39 22 NA
inadequate service span, miss out on appointments at apex levels. 1982 28 144 113 21 10 0 42 24 20 NA
1983 28 157 122 25 10 0 52 0 30 NA
1984 28 142 109 21 12 0 51 14 33 NA
1985 28 159 123 23 13 0 52 30 15 NA

96 97
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

5.4.4 The existing system of higher age limit and larger number of permissible attempts
Table 5.5: IAS – 1960-2004 : Percentage Eligible for Secretary (Contd.)
means that a large number of candidates continue to appear repeatedly in the civil services
Batch Eligible No. of Officers % Eligibile for Secretary as per examination over a long period. Apart from being a waste of vital human resources, this
max present norms
age for Total General SC ST OBC General SC ST OBC
places an undesirable premium on cramming and memorization rather than on intelligence
General and analytical abilities. Another outcome of this has been the proliferation of coaching
institutes to prepare candidates for the Civil Services Examination. These anomalies can be
1986 28 135 106 19 10 0 38 0 30 NA
reduced by lowering the age limit and circumscribing the number of chances.
1987 28 125 97 20 8 0 53 15 38 NA
Group % 1113 865 166 82 0 49 17 27 NA 5.4.5 The supporters of the higher age limit generally argue that there is lack of educational
1988 26 114 89 17 8 0 56 24 25 NA
facilities in rural and backward areas compared to large cities. Since there has been a
discernible improvement in the spread of educational facilities during the last three decades,
1989 26 109 83 16 10 0 58 25 20 NA
the perceived disadvantages accruing to candidates from rural and remote areas have been
1990 26 106 82 16 8 0 46 38 38 NA greatly reduced. This is evident from Table 5.5 which sets out the data gathered by the
Group % 329 254 49 26 0 53 29 28 NA UPSC in respect of the Civil Services Examinations conducted by them. Obviously, the
1991 31 106 84 14 8 0 48 29 50 NA share of successful candidates from the rural areas will increase as the educational facilities
1992 28 81 62 12 7 0 63 17 29 NA spread further.
1993 33 80 60 14 6 0 53 29 17 NA Table 5.6 : Successful Candidates in Civil Service Examinations
Group % 267 206 40 21 0 55 25 32 NA Year % Rural % Urban
1994 28 80 62 12 6 0 44 25 17 NA 2000 26 74
1995 28 79 35 12 6 26 40 8 17 60 2001 29 71
1996 28 80 37 12 6 25 62 33 17 48 2002 32 68
1997 28 76 35 13 6 22 29 31 17 18 2003 32 68
1998 28 55 25 8 5 17 60 13 40 13 2004 33 67
1999 28 54 27 7 3 17 44 14 0 2005 33 67
Group % 424 221 64 32 107 46 21 18 35 Source: UPSC
2000 30 56 23 8 4 21 30 13 50 14
2001 30 57 28 9 4 16 18 22 25 8 5.4.6 Under the circumstances, there is a strong case for reducing the upper age limit
belonging to all categories appearing for the civil services examination. Lower age limits,
2002 30 59 23 10 6 20 30 10 33 3
in general, would help in reinvigorating the civil services by making it possible for civil
2003 30 71 32 12 7 20 16 8 0
servants to inculcate the required civil service values at a young age. In respect of candidates
2004 30 89 40 15 5 29 15 27 20 0 belonging to the OBC and the SC/ST categories, it would greatly help in enhancing their
2005 30 91 39 12 6 34 21 8 0 career progression and enable them to occupy apex positions in government. In turn,
Group % 423 185 66 32 140 22 15 21 6 government would stand to gain in terms of greater availability of their services.
Overall 4603 3356 684 316 247 55 21 29 20
5.4.7 The question of the age limit for the civil services has been the subject of deliberation
Source: Cabinet Secretariat (2007) of several committees. Some of these are:

98 99
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

5.4.4 The existing system of higher age limit and larger number of permissible attempts
Table 5.5: IAS – 1960-2004 : Percentage Eligible for Secretary (Contd.)
means that a large number of candidates continue to appear repeatedly in the civil services
Batch Eligible No. of Officers % Eligibile for Secretary as per examination over a long period. Apart from being a waste of vital human resources, this
max present norms
age for Total General SC ST OBC General SC ST OBC
places an undesirable premium on cramming and memorization rather than on intelligence
General and analytical abilities. Another outcome of this has been the proliferation of coaching
institutes to prepare candidates for the Civil Services Examination. These anomalies can be
1986 28 135 106 19 10 0 38 0 30 NA
reduced by lowering the age limit and circumscribing the number of chances.
1987 28 125 97 20 8 0 53 15 38 NA
Group % 1113 865 166 82 0 49 17 27 NA 5.4.5 The supporters of the higher age limit generally argue that there is lack of educational
1988 26 114 89 17 8 0 56 24 25 NA
facilities in rural and backward areas compared to large cities. Since there has been a
discernible improvement in the spread of educational facilities during the last three decades,
1989 26 109 83 16 10 0 58 25 20 NA
the perceived disadvantages accruing to candidates from rural and remote areas have been
1990 26 106 82 16 8 0 46 38 38 NA greatly reduced. This is evident from Table 5.5 which sets out the data gathered by the
Group % 329 254 49 26 0 53 29 28 NA UPSC in respect of the Civil Services Examinations conducted by them. Obviously, the
1991 31 106 84 14 8 0 48 29 50 NA share of successful candidates from the rural areas will increase as the educational facilities
1992 28 81 62 12 7 0 63 17 29 NA spread further.
1993 33 80 60 14 6 0 53 29 17 NA Table 5.6 : Successful Candidates in Civil Service Examinations
Group % 267 206 40 21 0 55 25 32 NA Year % Rural % Urban
1994 28 80 62 12 6 0 44 25 17 NA 2000 26 74
1995 28 79 35 12 6 26 40 8 17 60 2001 29 71
1996 28 80 37 12 6 25 62 33 17 48 2002 32 68
1997 28 76 35 13 6 22 29 31 17 18 2003 32 68
1998 28 55 25 8 5 17 60 13 40 13 2004 33 67
1999 28 54 27 7 3 17 44 14 0 2005 33 67
Group % 424 221 64 32 107 46 21 18 35 Source: UPSC
2000 30 56 23 8 4 21 30 13 50 14
2001 30 57 28 9 4 16 18 22 25 8 5.4.6 Under the circumstances, there is a strong case for reducing the upper age limit
belonging to all categories appearing for the civil services examination. Lower age limits,
2002 30 59 23 10 6 20 30 10 33 3
in general, would help in reinvigorating the civil services by making it possible for civil
2003 30 71 32 12 7 20 16 8 0
servants to inculcate the required civil service values at a young age. In respect of candidates
2004 30 89 40 15 5 29 15 27 20 0 belonging to the OBC and the SC/ST categories, it would greatly help in enhancing their
2005 30 91 39 12 6 34 21 8 0 career progression and enable them to occupy apex positions in government. In turn,
Group % 423 185 66 32 140 22 15 21 6 government would stand to gain in terms of greater availability of their services.
Overall 4603 3356 684 316 247 55 21 29 20
5.4.7 The question of the age limit for the civil services has been the subject of deliberation
Source: Cabinet Secretariat (2007) of several committees. Some of these are:

98 99
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
ƒ The Public Services (Qualifications for Recruitment) Committee, 1955
ƒ The Committee on Recruitment Policy and Selection Methods (1976, Kothari
Committee)
ƒ The Committee to Review the Scheme of the Civil Services Examination (1989,
Satish Chandra Committee)
ƒ The Review Committee on Civil Services Examination (2001, Yoginder Alagh
Committee)
ƒ The Committee on Civil Service Reforms (2004, Hota Committee)
5.4.7.1 The Public Services (Qualifications for Recruitment) Committee, 1955: This Committee
was appointed in 1955 to “consider the proposal that a University degree need not be
insisted upon as condition for employment to Public Services”. This Committee was headed
by Dr. A. Ramaswami Mudaliar. As regards the Higher Civil Services, the Committee
recommended that:
“Finally, for the top-most grades we are definitely of the opinion that entry into these
services should be restricted to graduates. This view is based on our opinion that for
the highest Executive and Administrative services a maturity of outlook and cultural
standard is required which by and large, can naturally be expected of graduates. For
these services, therefore, we recommend the age level of 21 to 23.”
5.4.7.2 The Committee on Recruitment Policy and Selection Methods (1976, Kothari
Committee): This Committee suggested the continuance of the existing minimum
educational qualification as a university degree. It also examined the age limit for eligibility
and recommended as follows:42
“In consideration of the fact that a serious student, planning to enter the All India
Services, should be adequately equipped to appear in the Civil Services Examination,
we recommend that the minimum age for the Preliminary and the Main Examinations
may be fixed at 21 years. We do not recommend the lower minimum age of 20 years
for the Indian Police Service as is permitted at present.
We have given considerable thought to the upper age limit for the Civil Services
Examination. Whereas it is necessary that the entire process of the examination
should ensure identification of the really capable among the competing candidates,
we feel that adequate opportunity should be provided to the late blossomers and to
those others who wish to pursue higher academic studies or obtain specialisation in
100
42
Paragraphs 3.56 and 3.57; Report of the Kothari Committee
Recruitment
subject of their choice, before entering service careers. We feel that the interest of these
candidates would be adequately protected by retaining the upper age limit of 26 years,
with the usual relaxation for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates and
other categories as may be notified by the Government from time to time.”
5.4.7.3 The Committee to Review the Scheme of the Civil Services Examination (1989, Satish
Chandra Committee): This Committee examined the issue of age limit and recommended
as follows:43
“Age limit for the Civil Services Examination (where a Bachelor’s degree of an Indian
University is the minimum qualification) has to take into account the average age of
students acquiring the Bachelor’s degree. In India, an average student passes the Senior
Secondary Examination (10+2) at the age of 18. Thereafter, he has to spend three years
in a College/University to get a degree in humanities, commerce or science. Thus by the
time he becomes a graduate, he is about 21 years of age. A professional such as a doctor
or an engineer has to take a longer period of four to five years after the Senior Secondary
level. Thus when he complete the Bachelor’s degree, he is 22-23 years of age. Taking into
account the age profile of our graduates, in our view, the lower age limit has been rightly
fixed at 21 years. We recommend no change in the existing age limit of 21-26 years for
the general candidates. There would be the usual relaxation of 5 years of age for members
of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.”
5.4.7.4 The Review Committee on the Civil Services Examination (2001, Yoginder Alagh
Committee): This Committee also looked at the age limit for the civil services examination
and recommended:44
“In view of the foregoing discussion and analysis, the Committee strongly recommends a
reduction in the present maximum age. The Kothari Committee had also recommended
the age limit of 21-26 years to provide opportunities for candidates who blossom late and
who wish to obtain either specialization in a subject or pursue higher academic studies.
The present Committee fully agrees with this view and recommends an upper age limit
of 26 years for general category with usual relaxation for the candidates from Scheduled
Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and the Physically Handicapped, i.e.,
three years for Other Backward Classes and five years for candidates from Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes and ten years for the Physically Handicapped. This would meet the
requirements of social equity also, as the Committee has amply demonstrated.”
5.4.7.5 The Committee on Civil Service Reforms (2004, Hota Committee): This Committee
did not go into the issue of qualifications required for eligibility for entering the civil services
but recommended the following about the age of entry:45
101
43
Paragraph 5.0902 and 5.0908; Report of the Satish Chandra Committee
44
Paragraph 7.9; Report of the Alagh Committee
45
Page 94, Report of the Hota Committee
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
ƒ The Public Services (Qualifications for Recruitment) Committee, 1955
ƒ The Committee on Recruitment Policy and Selection Methods (1976, Kothari
Committee)
ƒ The Committee to Review the Scheme of the Civil Services Examination (1989,
Satish Chandra Committee)
ƒ The Review Committee on Civil Services Examination (2001, Yoginder Alagh
Committee)
ƒ The Committee on Civil Service Reforms (2004, Hota Committee)
5.4.7.1 The Public Services (Qualifications for Recruitment) Committee, 1955: This Committee
was appointed in 1955 to “consider the proposal that a University degree need not be
insisted upon as condition for employment to Public Services”. This Committee was headed
by Dr. A. Ramaswami Mudaliar. As regards the Higher Civil Services, the Committee
recommended that:
“Finally, for the top-most grades we are definitely of the opinion that entry into these
services should be restricted to graduates. This view is based on our opinion that for
the highest Executive and Administrative services a maturity of outlook and cultural
standard is required which by and large, can naturally be expected of graduates. For
these services, therefore, we recommend the age level of 21 to 23.”
5.4.7.2 The Committee on Recruitment Policy and Selection Methods (1976, Kothari
Committee): This Committee suggested the continuance of the existing minimum
educational qualification as a university degree. It also examined the age limit for eligibility
and recommended as follows:42
“In consideration of the fact that a serious student, planning to enter the All India
Services, should be adequately equipped to appear in the Civil Services Examination,
we recommend that the minimum age for the Preliminary and the Main Examinations
may be fixed at 21 years. We do not recommend the lower minimum age of 20 years
for the Indian Police Service as is permitted at present.
We have given considerable thought to the upper age limit for the Civil Services
Examination. Whereas it is necessary that the entire process of the examination
should ensure identification of the really capable among the competing candidates,
we feel that adequate opportunity should be provided to the late blossomers and to
those others who wish to pursue higher academic studies or obtain specialisation in
100
42
Paragraphs 3.56 and 3.57; Report of the Kothari Committee
Recruitment
subject of their choice, before entering service careers. We feel that the interest of these
candidates would be adequately protected by retaining the upper age limit of 26 years,
with the usual relaxation for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates and
other categories as may be notified by the Government from time to time.”
5.4.7.3 The Committee to Review the Scheme of the Civil Services Examination (1989, Satish
Chandra Committee): This Committee examined the issue of age limit and recommended
as follows:43
“Age limit for the Civil Services Examination (where a Bachelor’s degree of an Indian
University is the minimum qualification) has to take into account the average age of
students acquiring the Bachelor’s degree. In India, an average student passes the Senior
Secondary Examination (10+2) at the age of 18. Thereafter, he has to spend three years
in a College/University to get a degree in humanities, commerce or science. Thus by the
time he becomes a graduate, he is about 21 years of age. A professional such as a doctor
or an engineer has to take a longer period of four to five years after the Senior Secondary
level. Thus when he complete the Bachelor’s degree, he is 22-23 years of age. Taking into
account the age profile of our graduates, in our view, the lower age limit has been rightly
fixed at 21 years. We recommend no change in the existing age limit of 21-26 years for
the general candidates. There would be the usual relaxation of 5 years of age for members
of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.”
5.4.7.4 The Review Committee on the Civil Services Examination (2001, Yoginder Alagh
Committee): This Committee also looked at the age limit for the civil services examination
and recommended:44
“In view of the foregoing discussion and analysis, the Committee strongly recommends a
reduction in the present maximum age. The Kothari Committee had also recommended
the age limit of 21-26 years to provide opportunities for candidates who blossom late and
who wish to obtain either specialization in a subject or pursue higher academic studies.
The present Committee fully agrees with this view and recommends an upper age limit
of 26 years for general category with usual relaxation for the candidates from Scheduled
Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and the Physically Handicapped, i.e.,
three years for Other Backward Classes and five years for candidates from Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes and ten years for the Physically Handicapped. This would meet the
requirements of social equity also, as the Committee has amply demonstrated.”
5.4.7.5 The Committee on Civil Service Reforms (2004, Hota Committee): This Committee
did not go into the issue of qualifications required for eligibility for entering the civil services
but recommended the following about the age of entry:45
101
43
Paragraph 5.0902 and 5.0908; Report of the Satish Chandra Committee
44
Paragraph 7.9; Report of the Alagh Committee
45
Page 94, Report of the Hota Committee
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
“To mould young entrants for the higher civil service through training, government
may go back to the period from 1948 till 1971 when the age of eligibility was 21-24
years for general candidates (as against 21-30 years for general candidates at present)
with five years age concession for members of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes.
Age concession for candidates of the Other Backward Classes may be three years as
at present.”
5.4.8 It can be seen from the above that all the Committees have been in favour of an age
limit of either 21-26 years or 21-24 years for general candidates with age concession for
candidates from OBC and SC/ST categories. As observed in the foregoing paragraphs, late
entry into the civil services has three undesirable outcomes – it works against the interests
of the weaker sections in the long run, does not enable recruitment of best candidates
at a malleable age and puts a premium on rote learning and coaching institutes. In the
circumstances, the Commission is of the view that the permissible age for appearing in the
Civil Services Examination should be 21 to 25 years for the general candidates, 21 to 28
years for candidates from the OBC, and 21 to 29 years for candidates from SC/ST as also
for those who are physically challenged.
5.4.9 Lowering the age limit would also require reducing the number of permissible chances
available to different categories of candidates. Presently, the number of permissible attempts
is 4 for general candidates, 7 for candidates from OBC and unlimited for SC/ST candidates
(subject to an age limit). This issue has also been considered by various Committees in the
past. The Kothari Committee had favoured only two attempts, not only for the general
candidates but also for SC/ST candidates. It felt that as the number of vacancies in a given
year is a fixed number and an increase in the number of attempts works to the advantage of
the less deserving candidates. However, to remove difficulties which may arise out of lack
of familiarity with such examinations, it chose to recommend two attempts. In doing so, it
concurred with the view of the Public Services (Qualifications for Recruitment) Committee
of 1955. It also made a passing reference to the situation in the UK where candidates were
allowed only one attempt in a similar examination.46
5.4.10 Government did not accept the recommendations of the Kothari Committee on
this issue. The Satish Chandra Committee analysed the percentage of general candidates
who were placed in the first two hundred ranks in the merit list during 1984-87 and
observed that the success ratio in the first attempt was low compared to that in the second
and third attempts. Further, the success ratio in the second attempt was only marginally
higher than the third attempt. Observing that the rules permit only one further attempt
in case a candidate is allocated a Group ‘A’ Service other than the IAS and IFS, it declined
102
46
Paragraph 3.58, Report of the Kothari Committee
Recruitment
to interfere with the scheme of allowing three attempts to general candidates as it stood
at that time.
5.4.11 The Alagh Committee had made an analysis of successful candidates in the 1995 to
1999 examinations and found that in the general category, less than 20% were successful in
their first attempt, and approximately the same percentage of candidates were successful in
their second and third attempts (above 30% in each case) and about 80% of the candidates
were successful by their third attempt.47 In case of successful candidates belonging to the
OBC category, more than 80% were able to get selected by their fifth attempt and in case
of SC/ST candidates, around 85% to 90% got selected in their sixth attempt.48 As the
Committee had recommended the age limits of 26, 29 and 31 years for General, OBC and
SC/ST candidates respectively, it recommended 3, 5 and 6 attempts for these candidates
in that order.
5.4.12 The Commission has deliberated on this issue. It is of the view that once the scheme
of testing only in compulsory subjects in place of optional subjects is accepted (as is being
recommended in a subsequent paragraph in this Report) the argument furnished by the
Kothari Committee regarding large number of attempts leading to selection of less deserving
candidates is certainly valid. Higher number of attempts also lead to loss of productive
years as also the self confidence of those aspirants who keep making repeated attempts to
pass the examinations. Keeping this in view the permissible age band and the number of
attempts recommended by the Commission are given in Table 5.7. The Commission also
feels that this may be reviewed after five years.
Table 5.7: Permissible Age for Appearing in the CSE and Number of Attempts to be Allowed
Category Permissible age (years) No. of attempts
General 21-25 3
OBC 21-28 5
SC/ST 21-29 6
Physically Disadvantaged 21-29 6
5.4.13 Another issue concerning the permissible age for appearing in the CSE pertains
to the cut-off date for determining the eligibility in terms of age. Presently, a candidate
must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on
1st August in the year of the CSE. It has been argued that:
i. Candidates born between 1st January and 1st August reach the prescribed
upper age limit one year before the candidates who are born not earlier than
2nd of August. This is disadvantageous to such candidates.
103
47
Diagram 7.1, Report of the Alagh Committee
48
Diagrams 7.13 and 7.14, Report of the Alagh Committee
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
“To mould young entrants for the higher civil service through training, government
may go back to the period from 1948 till 1971 when the age of eligibility was 21-24
years for general candidates (as against 21-30 years for general candidates at present)
with five years age concession for members of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes.
Age concession for candidates of the Other Backward Classes may be three years as
at present.”
5.4.8 It can be seen from the above that all the Committees have been in favour of an age
limit of either 21-26 years or 21-24 years for general candidates with age concession for
candidates from OBC and SC/ST categories. As observed in the foregoing paragraphs, late
entry into the civil services has three undesirable outcomes – it works against the interests
of the weaker sections in the long run, does not enable recruitment of best candidates
at a malleable age and puts a premium on rote learning and coaching institutes. In the
circumstances, the Commission is of the view that the permissible age for appearing in the
Civil Services Examination should be 21 to 25 years for the general candidates, 21 to 28
years for candidates from the OBC, and 21 to 29 years for candidates from SC/ST as also
for those who are physically challenged.
5.4.9 Lowering the age limit would also require reducing the number of permissible chances
available to different categories of candidates. Presently, the number of permissible attempts
is 4 for general candidates, 7 for candidates from OBC and unlimited for SC/ST candidates
(subject to an age limit). This issue has also been considered by various Committees in the
past. The Kothari Committee had favoured only two attempts, not only for the general
candidates but also for SC/ST candidates. It felt that as the number of vacancies in a given
year is a fixed number and an increase in the number of attempts works to the advantage of
the less deserving candidates. However, to remove difficulties which may arise out of lack
of familiarity with such examinations, it chose to recommend two attempts. In doing so, it
concurred with the view of the Public Services (Qualifications for Recruitment) Committee
of 1955. It also made a passing reference to the situation in the UK where candidates were
allowed only one attempt in a similar examination.46
5.4.10 Government did not accept the recommendations of the Kothari Committee on
this issue. The Satish Chandra Committee analysed the percentage of general candidates
who were placed in the first two hundred ranks in the merit list during 1984-87 and
observed that the success ratio in the first attempt was low compared to that in the second
and third attempts. Further, the success ratio in the second attempt was only marginally
higher than the third attempt. Observing that the rules permit only one further attempt
in case a candidate is allocated a Group ‘A’ Service other than the IAS and IFS, it declined
102
46
Paragraph 3.58, Report of the Kothari Committee
Recruitment
to interfere with the scheme of allowing three attempts to general candidates as it stood
at that time.
5.4.11 The Alagh Committee had made an analysis of successful candidates in the 1995 to
1999 examinations and found that in the general category, less than 20% were successful in
their first attempt, and approximately the same percentage of candidates were successful in
their second and third attempts (above 30% in each case) and about 80% of the candidates
were successful by their third attempt.47 In case of successful candidates belonging to the
OBC category, more than 80% were able to get selected by their fifth attempt and in case
of SC/ST candidates, around 85% to 90% got selected in their sixth attempt.48 As the
Committee had recommended the age limits of 26, 29 and 31 years for General, OBC and
SC/ST candidates respectively, it recommended 3, 5 and 6 attempts for these candidates
in that order.
5.4.12 The Commission has deliberated on this issue. It is of the view that once the scheme
of testing only in compulsory subjects in place of optional subjects is accepted (as is being
recommended in a subsequent paragraph in this Report) the argument furnished by the
Kothari Committee regarding large number of attempts leading to selection of less deserving
candidates is certainly valid. Higher number of attempts also lead to loss of productive
years as also the self confidence of those aspirants who keep making repeated attempts to
pass the examinations. Keeping this in view the permissible age band and the number of
attempts recommended by the Commission are given in Table 5.7. The Commission also
feels that this may be reviewed after five years.
Table 5.7: Permissible Age for Appearing in the CSE and Number of Attempts to be Allowed
Category Permissible age (years) No. of attempts
General 21-25 3
OBC 21-28 5
SC/ST 21-29 6
Physically Disadvantaged 21-29 6
5.4.13 Another issue concerning the permissible age for appearing in the CSE pertains
to the cut-off date for determining the eligibility in terms of age. Presently, a candidate
must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on
1st August in the year of the CSE. It has been argued that:
i. Candidates born between 1st January and 1st August reach the prescribed
upper age limit one year before the candidates who are born not earlier than
2nd of August. This is disadvantageous to such candidates.
103
47
Diagram 7.1, Report of the Alagh Committee
48
Diagrams 7.13 and 7.14, Report of the Alagh Committee
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

ii. Registration of births and deaths, though compulsory, has spread thinly in Table 5.9: Month-wise Distribution of Dates of Birth (SRS) - Provisional
most parts of the country. In rural and backward areas, the practice of getting a
Sl. No. Month Dates of Birth (%)
birth certificate at the time of birth is seldom followed. This results in random
determination of the date of birth at the time of admission to schools. Generally, 1. January 8.9
since school sessions begin in the month of August, there is a tendency to 2. February 7.3
randomly select the date of birth prior to the beginning of the session.
3. March 7.4
5.4.14 The Commission has obtained information from the Union Public Service 4. April 7.3
Commission regarding month-wise date of birth of applicants to the Civil Services
Examination. Out of 3.3 lakh candidates who applied for the Civil Services (Preliminary) 5. May 7.6
Examination, 2007, the figures for month-wise date of birth are as follows: 6. June 8.9

Table 5.8: Month-wise Dates of Birth of Candidates 7. July 8.4

8. August 9.2
Sl. No. Month Dates of Birth of
Candidates (%) 9. September 8.5
1. January 9.61 10. October 9.2
2. February 7.01 11. November 8.6
3. March 7.88 12. December 8.8
4. April 7.42 5.4.16 As can be seen, the births are more or less evenly distributed with a slightly higher
5. May 9.45 figure for August and October. The Commission has deliberated on the issue and it is of the
view that there is no visible merit in changing the cut-off date to determine the eligibility
6. June 10.98
in terms of age.
7. July 13.72
5.4.17 Recommendations
8. August 8.79
9. September 6.09 a. The permissible age for appearing in the Civil Services Examination should
be 21 to 25 years for general candidates, 21 to 28 years for candidates from
10. October 6.43
OBC and 21 to 29 years for candidates from SC/ST as also for those who
11. November 5.56 are physically challenged.
12. December 7.05
b. The number of permissible attempts in the Civil Services Examination
5.4.15 From Table 5.8, it appears that there is some bunching in the registration of date should be 3, 5, 6 and 6 respectively for general candidates, candidates
of births in the months prior to August. However, the Commission has also obtained from OBC, candidates from SC/ST and physically challenged candidates
information from the Office of the Registrar General of India regarding month-wise live births respectively.
based on the Sample Registration System (SRS) data of 2004-06. The average percentage
c. The present cut-off date for determining the eligibility in terms of age
of month-wise sample live births in India for the period 2004-06 is as follows:
(i.e. 1st of August in the year of the examination) may continue.

104 105
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

ii. Registration of births and deaths, though compulsory, has spread thinly in Table 5.9: Month-wise Distribution of Dates of Birth (SRS) - Provisional
most parts of the country. In rural and backward areas, the practice of getting a
Sl. No. Month Dates of Birth (%)
birth certificate at the time of birth is seldom followed. This results in random
determination of the date of birth at the time of admission to schools. Generally, 1. January 8.9
since school sessions begin in the month of August, there is a tendency to 2. February 7.3
randomly select the date of birth prior to the beginning of the session.
3. March 7.4
5.4.14 The Commission has obtained information from the Union Public Service 4. April 7.3
Commission regarding month-wise date of birth of applicants to the Civil Services
Examination. Out of 3.3 lakh candidates who applied for the Civil Services (Preliminary) 5. May 7.6
Examination, 2007, the figures for month-wise date of birth are as follows: 6. June 8.9

Table 5.8: Month-wise Dates of Birth of Candidates 7. July 8.4

8. August 9.2
Sl. No. Month Dates of Birth of
Candidates (%) 9. September 8.5
1. January 9.61 10. October 9.2
2. February 7.01 11. November 8.6
3. March 7.88 12. December 8.8
4. April 7.42 5.4.16 As can be seen, the births are more or less evenly distributed with a slightly higher
5. May 9.45 figure for August and October. The Commission has deliberated on the issue and it is of the
view that there is no visible merit in changing the cut-off date to determine the eligibility
6. June 10.98
in terms of age.
7. July 13.72
5.4.17 Recommendations
8. August 8.79
9. September 6.09 a. The permissible age for appearing in the Civil Services Examination should
be 21 to 25 years for general candidates, 21 to 28 years for candidates from
10. October 6.43
OBC and 21 to 29 years for candidates from SC/ST as also for those who
11. November 5.56 are physically challenged.
12. December 7.05
b. The number of permissible attempts in the Civil Services Examination
5.4.15 From Table 5.8, it appears that there is some bunching in the registration of date should be 3, 5, 6 and 6 respectively for general candidates, candidates
of births in the months prior to August. However, the Commission has also obtained from OBC, candidates from SC/ST and physically challenged candidates
information from the Office of the Registrar General of India regarding month-wise live births respectively.
based on the Sample Registration System (SRS) data of 2004-06. The average percentage
c. The present cut-off date for determining the eligibility in terms of age
of month-wise sample live births in India for the period 2004-06 is as follows:
(i.e. 1st of August in the year of the examination) may continue.

104 105
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
5.5 Structure of the Civil Services Examination
5.5.1 The Existing Structure
5.5.1.1 The present structure of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) is based on the
recommendations made by the Kothari Committee (with minor modifications made by
the Satish Chandra Committee). The details of the structure are presented in Table 5.1.
Briefly, the CSE is conducted in three successive stages viz. the Preliminary Examination,
the Main Examination and the Personality Test. The Preliminary Examination consists of
two objective type papers and is meant only for initial screening of candidates. One of the
papers tests the general knowledge of the candidates and the other tests them in any one of
a large number of optional subjects. Only those candidates who qualify in the Preliminary
Examination are eligible for admission to the Main Examination, which consists of a written
examination of conventional type papers and a Personality Test. The conventional type
papers test the candidates in (a) compulsory subjects in the form of one Essay paper, one
paper each testing proficiency in the English language and any of the languages mentioned
in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution and two papers on ‘General Studies’, and (b)
two optional subjects having two papers each. The test for proficiency in English and any
other Indian language is only of a qualifying nature.
5.5.2 Reasons for Adopting the Present Structure
5.5.2.1 One of the reasons for recommending such a sequential process of selection
in the form of preliminary examination, main examination and personality test was as
follows49:
“A selection process consisting of sequential stages, one following the other, is necessary,
apart from any other reason, because of the large number of candidates. The average
quality of candidates would get “richer” as the stream proceeds from one stage to the
next. It would also become more homogeneous. A selection process divided into a
sequence of stages would make it possible to concentrate the available testing resources
credible candidates likely to make the grade instead of dispersing them sparsely on a
very large number of candidates many of whom are of indifferent quality…”
Another reason for having a sequential screening test was because:
“The selection process should be so designed that it attracts as many deserving candidates
as possible from different parts of the country to compete in the examinations…The
proposed Preliminary Examination is one step in that direction.”50
106
49
Paragraph 1.22, Report of the Kothari Committee
50
ibid, paragraph 1.21
Recruitment
5.5.2.2 One major outcome of this scheme has been that the Civil Services Examinations,
as they are annually conducted by the UPSC, have become elaborate affairs and take more
than a year to complete. The long time taken is a national loss because this detracts from
the civil servant’s career by that extent of time. The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)
that select candidates for the MBA degree do not take more than three months to complete
the process of selection, even though they also handle a very large number of candidates.
The entrance examinations conducted by these Institutes, test the candidates in respect
of their analytical abilities, logic, comprehension, problem-solving abilities, precision and
overall knowledge. Since these examinations are on the basis of objective-type questions,
the time taken to conduct the examinations is significantly less.
5.5.2.3 The Kothari Committee had based its ‘new scheme’ on the ‘comprehensive method’
of selection. The Committee was of the view that, “from the point of view of the role and
functions of the civil services today the case for the comprehensive method is very strong. The
immense tasks of development and reconstruction impose on a public servant the need for
continual learning of new knowledge and skills: a sort of continuing self-renewal. Unless a person
is intellectually outstanding and temperamentally and motivationally suitable for the service to
which he is appointed, he is unlikely to make the contribution expected of him. For a person to
give his best to a service, he must belong to the service not only intellectually but also emotionally.
The person and the service must be compatible in every way.”51
5.5.2.4 Thus, the objectives for introducing the ‘comprehensive method’ were two fold:
(a) to select persons who are capable of continuously acquiring knowledge and skills, and
(b) to find aspirants who are temperamentally and motivationally suited and emotionally
attached to the service to which they are appointed. Given these twin objectives, as far as
the structure of the examinations is concerned, the Commission feels that it cannot be
gainsaid that the Combined Admission Test (CAT) which selects entrants to the IIMs fails
to provide candidates having a propensity and aptitude for acquiring new knowledge and
skills. Further, on the basis of the structure of the Civil Services Examination as it exists
today, it is difficult to maintain that the successful candidates are temperamentally and
motivationally suited to the service they have been allocated at the completion of the one
year long process.
5.5.2.5 Basically, the present sequential examination system was necessitated due to the large
number of candidates appearing in the CSE. As mentioned earlier, the Kothari Committee
had introduced the Preliminary Examination as a screening test for identifying the serious
candidates and broadening the base of recruitment and which was easy to administer. This
was the reason for having objective type and multiple-choice questions. The screening
107
51
Paragraph 1.18, Report of the Kothari Committee
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
5.5 Structure of the Civil Services Examination
5.5.1 The Existing Structure
5.5.1.1 The present structure of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) is based on the
recommendations made by the Kothari Committee (with minor modifications made by
the Satish Chandra Committee). The details of the structure are presented in Table 5.1.
Briefly, the CSE is conducted in three successive stages viz. the Preliminary Examination,
the Main Examination and the Personality Test. The Preliminary Examination consists of
two objective type papers and is meant only for initial screening of candidates. One of the
papers tests the general knowledge of the candidates and the other tests them in any one of
a large number of optional subjects. Only those candidates who qualify in the Preliminary
Examination are eligible for admission to the Main Examination, which consists of a written
examination of conventional type papers and a Personality Test. The conventional type
papers test the candidates in (a) compulsory subjects in the form of one Essay paper, one
paper each testing proficiency in the English language and any of the languages mentioned
in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution and two papers on ‘General Studies’, and (b)
two optional subjects having two papers each. The test for proficiency in English and any
other Indian language is only of a qualifying nature.
5.5.2 Reasons for Adopting the Present Structure
5.5.2.1 One of the reasons for recommending such a sequential process of selection
in the form of preliminary examination, main examination and personality test was as
follows49:
“A selection process consisting of sequential stages, one following the other, is necessary,
apart from any other reason, because of the large number of candidates. The average
quality of candidates would get “richer” as the stream proceeds from one stage to the
next. It would also become more homogeneous. A selection process divided into a
sequence of stages would make it possible to concentrate the available testing resources
credible candidates likely to make the grade instead of dispersing them sparsely on a
very large number of candidates many of whom are of indifferent quality…”
Another reason for having a sequential screening test was because:
“The selection process should be so designed that it attracts as many deserving candidates
as possible from different parts of the country to compete in the examinations…The
proposed Preliminary Examination is one step in that direction.”50
106
49
Paragraph 1.22, Report of the Kothari Committee
50
ibid, paragraph 1.21
Recruitment
5.5.2.2 One major outcome of this scheme has been that the Civil Services Examinations,
as they are annually conducted by the UPSC, have become elaborate affairs and take more
than a year to complete. The long time taken is a national loss because this detracts from
the civil servant’s career by that extent of time. The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)
that select candidates for the MBA degree do not take more than three months to complete
the process of selection, even though they also handle a very large number of candidates.
The entrance examinations conducted by these Institutes, test the candidates in respect
of their analytical abilities, logic, comprehension, problem-solving abilities, precision and
overall knowledge. Since these examinations are on the basis of objective-type questions,
the time taken to conduct the examinations is significantly less.
5.5.2.3 The Kothari Committee had based its ‘new scheme’ on the ‘comprehensive method’
of selection. The Committee was of the view that, “from the point of view of the role and
functions of the civil services today the case for the comprehensive method is very strong. The
immense tasks of development and reconstruction impose on a public servant the need for
continual learning of new knowledge and skills: a sort of continuing self-renewal. Unless a person
is intellectually outstanding and temperamentally and motivationally suitable for the service to
which he is appointed, he is unlikely to make the contribution expected of him. For a person to
give his best to a service, he must belong to the service not only intellectually but also emotionally.
The person and the service must be compatible in every way.”51
5.5.2.4 Thus, the objectives for introducing the ‘comprehensive method’ were two fold:
(a) to select persons who are capable of continuously acquiring knowledge and skills, and
(b) to find aspirants who are temperamentally and motivationally suited and emotionally
attached to the service to which they are appointed. Given these twin objectives, as far as
the structure of the examinations is concerned, the Commission feels that it cannot be
gainsaid that the Combined Admission Test (CAT) which selects entrants to the IIMs fails
to provide candidates having a propensity and aptitude for acquiring new knowledge and
skills. Further, on the basis of the structure of the Civil Services Examination as it exists
today, it is difficult to maintain that the successful candidates are temperamentally and
motivationally suited to the service they have been allocated at the completion of the one
year long process.
5.5.2.5 Basically, the present sequential examination system was necessitated due to the large
number of candidates appearing in the CSE. As mentioned earlier, the Kothari Committee
had introduced the Preliminary Examination as a screening test for identifying the serious
candidates and broadening the base of recruitment and which was easy to administer. This
was the reason for having objective type and multiple-choice questions. The screening
107
51
Paragraph 1.18, Report of the Kothari Committee
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

provided a manageable number of candidates for the Main Examination which consisted the objective of compressing the examination cycle although it does tend to give a higher
of conventional type papers. weightage to the Preliminary Examination in screening the candidates.

5.5.2.6 The Commission is of the view that though there is a case for continuing with 5.5.2.9 The Government may take a considered view and adopt one of the above-mentioned
these two components of the examination process, there is little merit in having them models in consultation with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
sequentially in the manner in which it is administered today, that is, first the papers of the
Preliminary Examination are evaluated and the results declared, followed by filling up of 5.5.3 The Issue of Optional Subject Papers
forms for the Main Examination leading to its conduct, evaluation of answer-books and
5.5.3.1 In the case of the Preliminary Examination, the Kothari Committee had
declaration of the list of candidates for the Personality Test. Instead, the Commission is of
recommended five objective type papers of equal weightage to test candidates in (a) any
the view that both the Preliminary Examination having an objective type paper and the
Indian language listed in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, (b) English language,
Main Examination having conventional type papers (including the language papers and essay
(c) General Studies, (d) & (e) one Optional Subject in two papers from a list of subjects.52
paper) could be administered at one stage, one after the another on consecutive days. The
The Government did not accept this scheme and presently the candidates are tested in two
multiple-choice objective type paper for the Preliminary Examination could be evaluated
objective type papers consisting of General Studies (150 marks) and Optional Subject (300
first and the evaluation for the conventional type papers for the Main Examination could
marks). The optional subject can be chosen from a list 23 subjects from Humanities/Social
be undertaken for only those candidates who have scored a threshold level of marks. The
Sciences, Science and Technology/Medical and Commerce streams.53 There is no weight to
advantage of this system would be that it would substantially reduce the time taken for
the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination.
completing an examination cycle. Additionally, it would not be necessary for candidates
to fill up forms twice and also travel twice for appearing in the examinations. 5.5.3.2 The Alagh Committee had also deliberated on the nature of the Preliminary
Examination. With regard to the general studies paper, it was of the view that it should
5.5.2.7 A view point has been expressed that in the proposed system – where the
be recast into a ‘Civil Services Aptitude Test’ paper with emphasis on comprehension,
preliminary and main examinations are held together – the logistics of administering the
logical reasoning, problem solving and data analysis.54 However, in case of the optional
Main examination to such a large number of candidates could pose some difficulty. The
subject paper, it did not fully agree with the view that optional subjects do not provide a
Commission, however, feels that there are other examination systems wherein a much
level playing field as also to the fact that the success ratio of various subjects varies widely.
larger number of candidates answer conventional descriptive type question papers, and
The Committee felt that ‘there is a need for testing academic knowledge in some depth’.
these are conducted quite efficiently. For example, the Central Board for Secondary
Hence it recommended the upgradation of the level of the optional subject paper to the
Examination (CBSE) handles a much larger number of candidates in more diverse subjects.
honours level of a good university.55 It also proposed a weight of 25% to the Preliminary
It is therefore felt that conducting an examination for about 4 lakh candidates should not
Examination in the overall scheme.56
pose insurmountable problems. Nonetheless, an alternative model for achieving the same
results can also be considered. 5.5.3.3 In the Main Examination, the weightage of compulsory subjects is 26.08% while
that of Optional Subjects is 52.16% (Table 5.1). On the recommendation of the Kothari
5.5.2.8 In this alternative model, the civil services examinations will be conducted in the
Committee, 47 subjects were included in the list of optional subjects including language
following manner. After the Preliminary Examination, the tabulation of result should be
and literature of one of 23 languages. The Satish Chandra Committee recommended the
possible within a month. Based on the results, the candidates to be called for interview
removal of French, German, Russian and Spanish from the language and literature group
(whose number may be approximately two to three times the number of available vacancies)
and inclusion of Education, Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering and Medical
would be short-listed in accordance with their ranking. Only these short-listed candidates
Science as new optional subjects. At the time of review by the Alagh Committee, there were
would be eligible for appearing in the Main Examination which would be conducted
51 optional subjects in the list and suggestions had been received for inclusion of nearly
within two months of the Preliminary Examination. In other words the Main Examination
50 more subjects.57
and interview process could start almost simultaneously. This model would also achieve

108 52
53
Paragraph 3.10, ibid 109
Paragraph 8.4.2, Report of the Alagh Committee
54
paragraph 8.4.3, ibid
55
paragraph 8.4.4, ibid
56
paragraph 8.4.11, ibid
57
paragraph 8.5.4.1, Report of the Alagh Committee
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

provided a manageable number of candidates for the Main Examination which consisted the objective of compressing the examination cycle although it does tend to give a higher
of conventional type papers. weightage to the Preliminary Examination in screening the candidates.

5.5.2.6 The Commission is of the view that though there is a case for continuing with 5.5.2.9 The Government may take a considered view and adopt one of the above-mentioned
these two components of the examination process, there is little merit in having them models in consultation with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
sequentially in the manner in which it is administered today, that is, first the papers of the
Preliminary Examination are evaluated and the results declared, followed by filling up of 5.5.3 The Issue of Optional Subject Papers
forms for the Main Examination leading to its conduct, evaluation of answer-books and
5.5.3.1 In the case of the Preliminary Examination, the Kothari Committee had
declaration of the list of candidates for the Personality Test. Instead, the Commission is of
recommended five objective type papers of equal weightage to test candidates in (a) any
the view that both the Preliminary Examination having an objective type paper and the
Indian language listed in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, (b) English language,
Main Examination having conventional type papers (including the language papers and essay
(c) General Studies, (d) & (e) one Optional Subject in two papers from a list of subjects.52
paper) could be administered at one stage, one after the another on consecutive days. The
The Government did not accept this scheme and presently the candidates are tested in two
multiple-choice objective type paper for the Preliminary Examination could be evaluated
objective type papers consisting of General Studies (150 marks) and Optional Subject (300
first and the evaluation for the conventional type papers for the Main Examination could
marks). The optional subject can be chosen from a list 23 subjects from Humanities/Social
be undertaken for only those candidates who have scored a threshold level of marks. The
Sciences, Science and Technology/Medical and Commerce streams.53 There is no weight to
advantage of this system would be that it would substantially reduce the time taken for
the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination.
completing an examination cycle. Additionally, it would not be necessary for candidates
to fill up forms twice and also travel twice for appearing in the examinations. 5.5.3.2 The Alagh Committee had also deliberated on the nature of the Preliminary
Examination. With regard to the general studies paper, it was of the view that it should
5.5.2.7 A view point has been expressed that in the proposed system – where the
be recast into a ‘Civil Services Aptitude Test’ paper with emphasis on comprehension,
preliminary and main examinations are held together – the logistics of administering the
logical reasoning, problem solving and data analysis.54 However, in case of the optional
Main examination to such a large number of candidates could pose some difficulty. The
subject paper, it did not fully agree with the view that optional subjects do not provide a
Commission, however, feels that there are other examination systems wherein a much
level playing field as also to the fact that the success ratio of various subjects varies widely.
larger number of candidates answer conventional descriptive type question papers, and
The Committee felt that ‘there is a need for testing academic knowledge in some depth’.
these are conducted quite efficiently. For example, the Central Board for Secondary
Hence it recommended the upgradation of the level of the optional subject paper to the
Examination (CBSE) handles a much larger number of candidates in more diverse subjects.
honours level of a good university.55 It also proposed a weight of 25% to the Preliminary
It is therefore felt that conducting an examination for about 4 lakh candidates should not
Examination in the overall scheme.56
pose insurmountable problems. Nonetheless, an alternative model for achieving the same
results can also be considered. 5.5.3.3 In the Main Examination, the weightage of compulsory subjects is 26.08% while
that of Optional Subjects is 52.16% (Table 5.1). On the recommendation of the Kothari
5.5.2.8 In this alternative model, the civil services examinations will be conducted in the
Committee, 47 subjects were included in the list of optional subjects including language
following manner. After the Preliminary Examination, the tabulation of result should be
and literature of one of 23 languages. The Satish Chandra Committee recommended the
possible within a month. Based on the results, the candidates to be called for interview
removal of French, German, Russian and Spanish from the language and literature group
(whose number may be approximately two to three times the number of available vacancies)
and inclusion of Education, Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering and Medical
would be short-listed in accordance with their ranking. Only these short-listed candidates
Science as new optional subjects. At the time of review by the Alagh Committee, there were
would be eligible for appearing in the Main Examination which would be conducted
51 optional subjects in the list and suggestions had been received for inclusion of nearly
within two months of the Preliminary Examination. In other words the Main Examination
50 more subjects.57
and interview process could start almost simultaneously. This model would also achieve

108 52
53
Paragraph 3.10, ibid 109
Paragraph 8.4.2, Report of the Alagh Committee
54
paragraph 8.4.3, ibid
55
paragraph 8.4.4, ibid
56
paragraph 8.4.11, ibid
57
paragraph 8.5.4.1, Report of the Alagh Committee
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
5.5.3.4. The Kothari Committee had felt that an examination consisting of only compulsory
subjects without any optional papers would drastically reduce the base of recruitment,
as the compulsory subjects would generally be related to ‘national development, modern
administration and management’, facilities for the study of which ‘are at present strictly limited’.58
However, as the Committee was of the view that the written examination was intended to
assess the intellectual qualities and depth of understanding of a candidate, it was assumed
by the Committee that ‘a candidate would offer as one of the optional subjects, the subject
which he may have studied for the honours or masters degree’.59 The importance of this
assumption in the context of the present structure of the examination and actual experience
cannot be underestimated. This issue was considered by the Alagh Committee in great
detail. The Alagh Committee doubted the very utility of re-examining the candidates in
their own subjects. It emphasized that ‘what is important is the relevance of a subject to the
job requirements of a civil servant, especially in the changing scenario’.60 It pointed out the
following issues in relation to the testing of candidates in optional subjects:
i. Large number of optional subjects presents problems of question setting and
evaluation of answer scripts. The fact that these could be answered in any of the
18 languages of the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution clogs the system.
ii. The threshold of difficulty could not be maintained at the same level among
the optional subjects.
iii. It is difficult to balance streams like Humanities, Social Sciences, Engineering
and Medical Science.
5.5.3.5 The Alagh Committee observed that candidates were opting for optional subjects
on the basis of ‘scorability’ and not on the basis of their own specialization. Thus, in the
CSE 1999, as many as 41% of candidates preferred to take the examination with both
optional subjects different from those which they had studied in college/university. The
figures for such candidates for the years 2000 to 2005 are 40%, 36%, 44%, 46%, 41%
and 48% respectively.61 Such high percentages vitiate the basic assumption made by the
Kothari Committee as mentioned above. Given the inadequacies of the present system, the
Alagh Committee recommended the replacement of optional subjects with a set of three
compulsory papers on:
(a) Sustainable Development and Social Justice,
(b) Science and Technology in Society, and
(c) Democratic Governance, Public Systems and Human Rights.
110
58
Paragraph 1.32, Report of the Kothari Committee
59
Paragraph 3.30, Report of the Kothari Committee
60
Paragraph 8.5.4.2, Report of the Alagh Committee
61
Source: Information provided by UPSC.
Recruitment
5.5.3.6 The curriculum and the general objectives of each compulsory subject would be
designed to bring out the issues or the problems which the civil services would need to
address. The Committee also noted that in countries like France and the UK, the Civil
Services Examinations have a focus on human rights, economic and social development,
administrative and environmental law, public systems management, science and technology
and economics and accountancy. Thus, in order to moor the examinations to the demands
of a civil service of the 21st century, the papers on the compulsory subjects would need to
cover issues related to our society, social structure, political and administrative governance,
emerging areas of change and modern developments in science and technology as they
affect society at large. This, in the view of the Committee, would give a specific focus to
the civil services recruitment process, rather than keeping it as a general ‘fishing’ process
with a degree of randomness to it.62 The Committee also felt that this would reduce the
total time taken to conduct the examination by three to six months.63
5.5.3.7 The Commission agrees with the conclusions reached by the Alagh Committee.
However, it is of the view that this should also apply to the Preliminary Examination. In
other words, the Preliminary Examination should consist of an objective type test having
one or two papers on general studies. The Main Examination should consist of conventional
type compulsory papers dealing with the Constitution of India, the Indian legal system,
Indian economy, polity, history and culture etc. A Committee may be constituted by the
Government in consultation with the UPSC, to decide on the structure and syllabi of
the compulsory papers for both, the Preliminary and Main Examinations. Further, the
Commission is of the view that sufficient lead time may be provided to the prospective
candidates for the civil services from the date of acceptance of these recommendations.
5.5.4 Essay Paper
5.5.4.1 The Alagh Committee had recommended the merger of the Essay paper with the
compulsory language papers and allowing for a weight of 5% to the marks obtained in
them. The Commission is of the view that the essay paper should not be merged with the
language papers which only test the language proficiency of the candidates. There should
be a separate Essay paper in the Main Examination for testing the candidates’ ability and
skills in comprehension, analysis and presentation as also their knowledge and language
skills. As mentioned earlier, the evaluation of the essay paper should only be done in case of
candidates who have scored a threshold level of marks in the Preliminary Examination.
5.5.5 Language Papers
5.5.5.1 The Kothari Committee had found it imperative that candidates be tested in their
knowledge of English and at least one Eighth Schedule language. The Alagh Committee
111
62
Paragraph 8.5.11, Report of the Alagh Committee
63
Paragraph 8.6, Report of the Alagh Committee
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
5.5.3.4. The Kothari Committee had felt that an examination consisting of only compulsory
subjects without any optional papers would drastically reduce the base of recruitment,
as the compulsory subjects would generally be related to ‘national development, modern
administration and management’, facilities for the study of which ‘are at present strictly limited’.58
However, as the Committee was of the view that the written examination was intended to
assess the intellectual qualities and depth of understanding of a candidate, it was assumed
by the Committee that ‘a candidate would offer as one of the optional subjects, the subject
which he may have studied for the honours or masters degree’.59 The importance of this
assumption in the context of the present structure of the examination and actual experience
cannot be underestimated. This issue was considered by the Alagh Committee in great
detail. The Alagh Committee doubted the very utility of re-examining the candidates in
their own subjects. It emphasized that ‘what is important is the relevance of a subject to the
job requirements of a civil servant, especially in the changing scenario’.60 It pointed out the
following issues in relation to the testing of candidates in optional subjects:
i. Large number of optional subjects presents problems of question setting and
evaluation of answer scripts. The fact that these could be answered in any of the
18 languages of the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution clogs the system.
ii. The threshold of difficulty could not be maintained at the same level among
the optional subjects.
iii. It is difficult to balance streams like Humanities, Social Sciences, Engineering
and Medical Science.
5.5.3.5 The Alagh Committee observed that candidates were opting for optional subjects
on the basis of ‘scorability’ and not on the basis of their own specialization. Thus, in the
CSE 1999, as many as 41% of candidates preferred to take the examination with both
optional subjects different from those which they had studied in college/university. The
figures for such candidates for the years 2000 to 2005 are 40%, 36%, 44%, 46%, 41%
and 48% respectively.61 Such high percentages vitiate the basic assumption made by the
Kothari Committee as mentioned above. Given the inadequacies of the present system, the
Alagh Committee recommended the replacement of optional subjects with a set of three
compulsory papers on:
(a) Sustainable Development and Social Justice,
(b) Science and Technology in Society, and
(c) Democratic Governance, Public Systems and Human Rights.
110
58
Paragraph 1.32, Report of the Kothari Committee
59
Paragraph 3.30, Report of the Kothari Committee
60
Paragraph 8.5.4.2, Report of the Alagh Committee
61
Source: Information provided by UPSC.
Recruitment
5.5.3.6 The curriculum and the general objectives of each compulsory subject would be
designed to bring out the issues or the problems which the civil services would need to
address. The Committee also noted that in countries like France and the UK, the Civil
Services Examinations have a focus on human rights, economic and social development,
administrative and environmental law, public systems management, science and technology
and economics and accountancy. Thus, in order to moor the examinations to the demands
of a civil service of the 21st century, the papers on the compulsory subjects would need to
cover issues related to our society, social structure, political and administrative governance,
emerging areas of change and modern developments in science and technology as they
affect society at large. This, in the view of the Committee, would give a specific focus to
the civil services recruitment process, rather than keeping it as a general ‘fishing’ process
with a degree of randomness to it.62 The Committee also felt that this would reduce the
total time taken to conduct the examination by three to six months.63
5.5.3.7 The Commission agrees with the conclusions reached by the Alagh Committee.
However, it is of the view that this should also apply to the Preliminary Examination. In
other words, the Preliminary Examination should consist of an objective type test having
one or two papers on general studies. The Main Examination should consist of conventional
type compulsory papers dealing with the Constitution of India, the Indian legal system,
Indian economy, polity, history and culture etc. A Committee may be constituted by the
Government in consultation with the UPSC, to decide on the structure and syllabi of
the compulsory papers for both, the Preliminary and Main Examinations. Further, the
Commission is of the view that sufficient lead time may be provided to the prospective
candidates for the civil services from the date of acceptance of these recommendations.
5.5.4 Essay Paper
5.5.4.1 The Alagh Committee had recommended the merger of the Essay paper with the
compulsory language papers and allowing for a weight of 5% to the marks obtained in
them. The Commission is of the view that the essay paper should not be merged with the
language papers which only test the language proficiency of the candidates. There should
be a separate Essay paper in the Main Examination for testing the candidates’ ability and
skills in comprehension, analysis and presentation as also their knowledge and language
skills. As mentioned earlier, the evaluation of the essay paper should only be done in case of
candidates who have scored a threshold level of marks in the Preliminary Examination.
5.5.5 Language Papers
5.5.5.1 The Kothari Committee had found it imperative that candidates be tested in their
knowledge of English and at least one Eighth Schedule language. The Alagh Committee
111
62
Paragraph 8.5.11, Report of the Alagh Committee
63
Paragraph 8.6, Report of the Alagh Committee
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
had also endorsed this view. However, it felt that the standard of testing should be upgraded
to a slightly higher level from the present matriculation level and a 5% weightage should
be given to the marks obtained in these papers. It also recommended the merger of the
separate Essay paper into the language papers.
5.5.5.2 While endorsing the view of the Alagh Committee regarding continuance of
testing of proficiency in English and one Eighth Schedule language, the Commission
feels that modern methods of standardization and grading of testing in language skills
should be adopted and accordingly, appropriate tests should be designed. Grading
systems and standardization as adopted in the United Kingdom may be examined for this
purpose. Further, the Commission feels that no weight need to be attributed to testing of
language skills.
5.5.5.3 Recommendations
a. Structure of Examination: Either of the following two models may be
adopted for compressing the examination cycle.
i. The Preliminary and Main Examinations for the Civil Services
Examination would be conducted together on two to three consecutive
days. Evaluation of papers for the Main Examination should be done
in case of only those candidates who have secured a threshold level of
marks in the Preliminary Examination. The personality test would
follow thereafter.
OR
ii. Based on the results of the Preliminary Examination, candidates
eligible for taking the main examination and the personality test
would be short listed in accordance with their rankings. Only these
short-listed candidates would be eligible for appearing in the Main
Examination, which would be conducted within two months of the
Preliminary Examination. The short list would be limited to about
two to three times of the number of vacancies available. Thus it would
be possible to start the Personality Test and the Main Examination
almost simultaneously.
112
Recruitment
b. Content:
i. The Preliminary Examination should consist of an objective type
test having one or two papers on general studies including the
Constitution of India, the Indian legal system, Indian economy,
polity, history and culture. There should be no optional subjects.
ii. The Main Examination should consist of two papers only in the
compulsory subjects. These compulsory subjects may include
Constitution of India, Indian legal system, Indian economy, polity,
history and culture etc. The question papers should be of the
conventional descriptive type. Besides, there should be a separate
essay paper as a part of the Main Examination.
c. Steps may be taken by DOPT in consultation with the UPSC to finalise
the syllabi of compulsory subjects for the both the preliminary and main
examination, for the recruitment cycle 2010. This could later on be
dovetailed with the recommendation of the “Expert Committee” suggested
in Paragraph 5.3.6.
5.6 Allocation of Service and Appearing in the Examination after Allocation of
Service
5.6.1 At present, allotment of services to successful candidates is done before they report for
training, on the basis of their position in the merit list and preferences expressed by them. It
has been mentioned earlier that the Kothari Committee had recommended such a scheme
as the final stage of its three-stage process, which was not accepted by Government. The
Alagh Committee had also looked at the question of allotment of services. To help selected
candidates to make an informed choice of service, it recommended that:
“the selected candidates may be required to exercise their service preferences only on the
completion of the Foundation Course at LBSNAA but the allocation would continue
to be on the basis of the original merit list prepared by the UPSC.”64
5.6.2 The Commission agrees with the recommendation of the Alagh Committee and
recommends that allotment of services to the successful candidates should be done only
on the completion of the Foundation Course, but should be on the basis of the merit list
prepared by the UPSC.
113
64
Paragraph 10.3.3
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
had also endorsed this view. However, it felt that the standard of testing should be upgraded
to a slightly higher level from the present matriculation level and a 5% weightage should
be given to the marks obtained in these papers. It also recommended the merger of the
separate Essay paper into the language papers.
5.5.5.2 While endorsing the view of the Alagh Committee regarding continuance of
testing of proficiency in English and one Eighth Schedule language, the Commission
feels that modern methods of standardization and grading of testing in language skills
should be adopted and accordingly, appropriate tests should be designed. Grading
systems and standardization as adopted in the United Kingdom may be examined for this
purpose. Further, the Commission feels that no weight need to be attributed to testing of
language skills.
5.5.5.3 Recommendations
a. Structure of Examination: Either of the following two models may be
adopted for compressing the examination cycle.
i. The Preliminary and Main Examinations for the Civil Services
Examination would be conducted together on two to three consecutive
days. Evaluation of papers for the Main Examination should be done
in case of only those candidates who have secured a threshold level of
marks in the Preliminary Examination. The personality test would
follow thereafter.
OR
ii. Based on the results of the Preliminary Examination, candidates
eligible for taking the main examination and the personality test
would be short listed in accordance with their rankings. Only these
short-listed candidates would be eligible for appearing in the Main
Examination, which would be conducted within two months of the
Preliminary Examination. The short list would be limited to about
two to three times of the number of vacancies available. Thus it would
be possible to start the Personality Test and the Main Examination
almost simultaneously.
112
Recruitment
b. Content:
i. The Preliminary Examination should consist of an objective type
test having one or two papers on general studies including the
Constitution of India, the Indian legal system, Indian economy,
polity, history and culture. There should be no optional subjects.
ii. The Main Examination should consist of two papers only in the
compulsory subjects. These compulsory subjects may include
Constitution of India, Indian legal system, Indian economy, polity,
history and culture etc. The question papers should be of the
conventional descriptive type. Besides, there should be a separate
essay paper as a part of the Main Examination.
c. Steps may be taken by DOPT in consultation with the UPSC to finalise
the syllabi of compulsory subjects for the both the preliminary and main
examination, for the recruitment cycle 2010. This could later on be
dovetailed with the recommendation of the “Expert Committee” suggested
in Paragraph 5.3.6.
5.6 Allocation of Service and Appearing in the Examination after Allocation of
Service
5.6.1 At present, allotment of services to successful candidates is done before they report for
training, on the basis of their position in the merit list and preferences expressed by them. It
has been mentioned earlier that the Kothari Committee had recommended such a scheme
as the final stage of its three-stage process, which was not accepted by Government. The
Alagh Committee had also looked at the question of allotment of services. To help selected
candidates to make an informed choice of service, it recommended that:
“the selected candidates may be required to exercise their service preferences only on the
completion of the Foundation Course at LBSNAA but the allocation would continue
to be on the basis of the original merit list prepared by the UPSC.”64
5.6.2 The Commission agrees with the recommendation of the Alagh Committee and
recommends that allotment of services to the successful candidates should be done only
on the completion of the Foundation Course, but should be on the basis of the merit list
prepared by the UPSC.
113
64
Paragraph 10.3.3
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
5.7 Other Modes of Induction into the Civil Services
5.7.1 On the pattern of examinations conducted by the UPSC, many of the State Public
Service Commissions also conduct examinations to select candidates for the State Civil
Services. As per Rule 4, read with Rules 8 and 9 of the IAS (Recruitment Rules), 1954
recruitment to the IAS shall be by the following methods –
i. 66 2/3rd per cent shall be by direct recruitment by a competitive
examination;
ii. 28 1/3rd per cent shall be by promotion from the State Civil Service; and
iii. 5 per cent shall be by selection from among members of other services.
5.7.2 As per the Indian Administrative Service (Appointment By Selection) Regulations,
1997, the State Government shall consider the case of a person not belonging to the State
Civil Service but serving in connection with the affairs of the State who is of outstanding
merit and ability and holds a Gazetted post in a substantive capacity, and has completed
not less than 8 years of continuous service under the State Government. Thus, in case of
the State of Karnataka, the total authorized strength of IAS posts is 259, out of which 181
posts are filled by direct recruitment and 78 posts are being filled through promotion. Out
of these 78 posts, 67 are being filled by officers promoted from the State Civil Service (SCS)
and 11 seats are being filled by officers promoted from the non-SCS.65
5.7.3 The general practice is that officers of the State Civil Service get inducted into the IAS
in about eight to twenty-five years, there being wide variations across States. This has been
a cause of major grievance on the part of the State Civil Service officers. Also in some cases,
the officers selected for the IAS have very few years of service left and get such seniority
that they have to be appointed to posts not commensurate with their actual seniority as
state civil service officers. After deliberations, the Commission is of the considered view
that the induction of officers of the State Civil Services into the IAS should be done by
the UPSC on the basis of a common examination. However, instead of having an ad-hoc
or sporadic system of examination or having a system of ‘Special Recruitment drives’, the
UPSC should conduct an annual examination for officers from the State Civil Service who
have completed 8-10 years of service in Grade ‘A’. The eligibility criteria should also include
norms such as an upper age limit of 40 years etc. On the basis of this examination, the
UPSC should provide the State Governments with an eligibility list. State Governments
should fill up their quota for promotion to the IAS on the basis of this eligibility list. Such
a system of induction would not only address the grievances of the State Civil Service
114
65
Civil list of IAS Officers-2007; Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Government of Karnataka
Recruitment
Officers, but also ensure fairness in the selection process and result in induction of better
human resources. However, in order to ensure that the existing officers in the State Civil
Services are not denied adequate opportunities, the examination in the next two years may
be conducted without any upper age limit and thereafter an upper age limit of 40 years
may be introduced. The Commission also feels that a maximum of two attempts should
be allowed to an eligible candidate for taking this examination. The same principles should
also be applicable to all state civil services, which have a promotion quota in the other All
India Services (IPS and IFS).
5.7.4 Presently, apart from direct recruitment, induction into the Group ‘A’ Central Services
is also done by way of promotion of officers on the basis of Annual Confidential Reports
(ACRs) and ‘vigilance clearance’. Further, in case of many of the Central Services, there is
no direct recruitment to Group ‘B’ posts. The ratio of Group ‘A’ posts to be filled up by
direct recruitment and by way of promotion as well as the mechanism varies from Service
to Service. Thus, the Commission is of the view that induction by way of promotion into
Group ‘A’ Central Services should, in addition to consideration of ACRs, also be done
by way of examination on the basis of the criteria as mentioned above, However, as these
Services have a specific functional role, the nature of the examination, ratio of posts to be
filled by promotion etc. should be decided by the concerned departments in consultation
with the UPSC.
5.7.5 Recommendations
a. The induction of officers of the State Civil Services into the IAS should be
done by the UPSC on the basis of a common examination.
b. UPSC should conduct such an examination annually for officers from
the State Civil Services who have completed 8 to 10 years of service in
Grade ‘A’ posts. The eligibility criteria should also include norms such as
an upper age limit of 40 years etc. On the basis of this examination, the
UPSC should provide the State Governments with an eligibility list. The
State Governments should fill up their quota for promotion to the IAS
on the basis of this eligibility list. A maximum of two attempts should be
allowed to an eligible candidate for taking this examination. To ensure
that the existing officers in the State Civil Services are not denied adequate
opportunities, the examination in the next two years may be conducted
for all such eligible officers and the upper age limit of 40 years may be
introduced, thereafter.
115
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
5.7 Other Modes of Induction into the Civil Services
5.7.1 On the pattern of examinations conducted by the UPSC, many of the State Public
Service Commissions also conduct examinations to select candidates for the State Civil
Services. As per Rule 4, read with Rules 8 and 9 of the IAS (Recruitment Rules), 1954
recruitment to the IAS shall be by the following methods –
i. 66 2/3rd per cent shall be by direct recruitment by a competitive
examination;
ii. 28 1/3rd per cent shall be by promotion from the State Civil Service; and
iii. 5 per cent shall be by selection from among members of other services.
5.7.2 As per the Indian Administrative Service (Appointment By Selection) Regulations,
1997, the State Government shall consider the case of a person not belonging to the State
Civil Service but serving in connection with the affairs of the State who is of outstanding
merit and ability and holds a Gazetted post in a substantive capacity, and has completed
not less than 8 years of continuous service under the State Government. Thus, in case of
the State of Karnataka, the total authorized strength of IAS posts is 259, out of which 181
posts are filled by direct recruitment and 78 posts are being filled through promotion. Out
of these 78 posts, 67 are being filled by officers promoted from the State Civil Service (SCS)
and 11 seats are being filled by officers promoted from the non-SCS.65
5.7.3 The general practice is that officers of the State Civil Service get inducted into the IAS
in about eight to twenty-five years, there being wide variations across States. This has been
a cause of major grievance on the part of the State Civil Service officers. Also in some cases,
the officers selected for the IAS have very few years of service left and get such seniority
that they have to be appointed to posts not commensurate with their actual seniority as
state civil service officers. After deliberations, the Commission is of the considered view
that the induction of officers of the State Civil Services into the IAS should be done by
the UPSC on the basis of a common examination. However, instead of having an ad-hoc
or sporadic system of examination or having a system of ‘Special Recruitment drives’, the
UPSC should conduct an annual examination for officers from the State Civil Service who
have completed 8-10 years of service in Grade ‘A’. The eligibility criteria should also include
norms such as an upper age limit of 40 years etc. On the basis of this examination, the
UPSC should provide the State Governments with an eligibility list. State Governments
should fill up their quota for promotion to the IAS on the basis of this eligibility list. Such
a system of induction would not only address the grievances of the State Civil Service
114
65
Civil list of IAS Officers-2007; Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Government of Karnataka
Recruitment
Officers, but also ensure fairness in the selection process and result in induction of better
human resources. However, in order to ensure that the existing officers in the State Civil
Services are not denied adequate opportunities, the examination in the next two years may
be conducted without any upper age limit and thereafter an upper age limit of 40 years
may be introduced. The Commission also feels that a maximum of two attempts should
be allowed to an eligible candidate for taking this examination. The same principles should
also be applicable to all state civil services, which have a promotion quota in the other All
India Services (IPS and IFS).
5.7.4 Presently, apart from direct recruitment, induction into the Group ‘A’ Central Services
is also done by way of promotion of officers on the basis of Annual Confidential Reports
(ACRs) and ‘vigilance clearance’. Further, in case of many of the Central Services, there is
no direct recruitment to Group ‘B’ posts. The ratio of Group ‘A’ posts to be filled up by
direct recruitment and by way of promotion as well as the mechanism varies from Service
to Service. Thus, the Commission is of the view that induction by way of promotion into
Group ‘A’ Central Services should, in addition to consideration of ACRs, also be done
by way of examination on the basis of the criteria as mentioned above, However, as these
Services have a specific functional role, the nature of the examination, ratio of posts to be
filled by promotion etc. should be decided by the concerned departments in consultation
with the UPSC.
5.7.5 Recommendations
a. The induction of officers of the State Civil Services into the IAS should be
done by the UPSC on the basis of a common examination.
b. UPSC should conduct such an examination annually for officers from
the State Civil Services who have completed 8 to 10 years of service in
Grade ‘A’ posts. The eligibility criteria should also include norms such as
an upper age limit of 40 years etc. On the basis of this examination, the
UPSC should provide the State Governments with an eligibility list. The
State Governments should fill up their quota for promotion to the IAS
on the basis of this eligibility list. A maximum of two attempts should be
allowed to an eligible candidate for taking this examination. To ensure
that the existing officers in the State Civil Services are not denied adequate
opportunities, the examination in the next two years may be conducted
for all such eligible officers and the upper age limit of 40 years may be
introduced, thereafter.
115
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
c. The mechanism mentioned above should also be applied in case of
induction into other All India Services at the State level.
d. Induction by way of promotion into Group ‘A’ Central Services should,
in addition to consideration of ACRs, also be done through conduct of
examination on the basis of the criteria as mentioned above. The nature
of the examination, ratio of posts to be filled by promotion etc. should be
decided by the concerned departments in consultation with the UPSC.
5.8 Allotment of Cadres to the All India Services
5.8.1 The present system for allotment of cadres for the All India Services has been a
matter of continuing debate. Till 2007, the allotment of cadres was a mix of a merit-based
allotment to insiders in fulfilment of their choice of home state, combined with a random
roster system for those who did not qualify for their home State. Candidates were not
required to give their preference for any other State apart from their home State. This
system achieved a balanced distribution of officers to various States but had a disadvantage
in that high ranking candidates, at times, were not getting their home State due to lack of
sufficient insider vacancies in that category and were therefore, relegated by the roster to
a State which may not be a preferred option for the officer. This often became a source of
long-term disappointment, particularly for candidates who had obtained high ranks but
found that the process gave no weightage to their rank once they failed to qualify for the
insider vacancies in their home cadre. This sense of dissatisfaction that merit did not appear
to play a sufficient role in cadre allotment, was compounded by a complex randomized
allotment process for outsiders that made it difficult to satisfy the needs of all aspirants. The
earlier system – limited zonal preferences – although it led to a greater degree of satisfaction,
resulted in reduced inter-regional mobility.
5.8.2 The different systems of cadre allotment which have been tried from time to time,
are indicated below:
a. Merit-cum-preference system (1947 to 1965)
b. Roster system i.e. allocating candidates except SCs / STs and women, according
to their rank in the merit list to the cadres arranged in alphabetical order (1966
to 1977)
c. Limited Zonal Preference System: (i) Vertical limited zonal preference (1978)
(ii) Horizontal Zonal preference system (1979 to 1983)
116
Recruitment
d. Roster system of allocation without any special dispensation (1984 till
2007).66
5.8.3 Government has now formulated a new Cadre Allocation Policy (2008).67 This policy
seeks to achieve a balance between the need for posting officers to different parts of the
country and the “preferences” of the officers. The highlight of the policy is that officers
are allocated to different cadres primarily on the basis of merit and their preferences. This,
however, is subject to the reservation roster and the underlying principle of maintaining
a ratio of 1:2 between the insiders and outsiders. The Commission is of the view that the
new policy mitigates to a great extent the shortcomings that characterized the earlier cadre
allocation policy. The Commission endorses the new policy but with some observations
which are mentioned below:
5.8.4 It has been noted that there is reluctance on the part of candidates from outside the
North East to serve in that region while at the same time the few ‘insiders’ from the North
East who qualify for the services are not assured of allotment in their State/region.68 The
Government of Nagaland for example has been representing69 that the “chances of a Naga
IAS Officer getting a home cadre is actually only 1 in 12 whereas according to the general
principle of IAS cadre allotment rules, it should have been one out of 3 vacancies”. Also,
these States have small cadres and the chances of having more than one insider vacancy
are remote. In view of the special characteristics of the North Eastern States as well as the
apparent reluctance of officers from outside to serve in these States, it is felt that there
is justification for a special dispensation by which ‘insider officers’ (those domiciled in
Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura and Sikkim) are
given a chance to serve in their own States. This could be done by allotting at least one
vacancy in each of the relevant cadres for persons domiciled in the States listed above. This
would mean that every year in a cadre e.g. Nagaland, at least one vacancy - irrespective of
the number of vacancies in that year - will be earmarked for a successful candidate from
Nagaland desirous of working there.
5.8.5 Under the new system proposed above, the list of successful candidates would be taken
and if candidate(s) is/are available from the above-mentioned seven States and if a successful
candidate has opted for the respective home cadre, then he/she should be first allotted to
that cadre. Such an allotment would have to be done irrespective of whether the vacancy
is for that category or not. In case there are more than one eligible insider candidates, then
the allotment may be done in the order – ST, SC, OBC, and General candidates. This may,
however distort the inter-se distribution among the General, OBC and SC/ST categories at
the national level. Therefore having done this allotment, a slight adjustment may be required
in the allocation of vacancies among the different categories in a few other States. Once the
117
66
Report of the Group for reviewing the policy for cadre allocation of IAS officers
67
Government Letter No. 14015/27/2005-AIS (I); Dated- 21st Feb. 2008.
68
Government of Nagaland has pointed out that in last 12 years, 5 Naga IAS officers have been allotted to other States even as 10 outsiders initially allotted to
Nagaland cadre subsequently got their cadres changed leading to a shortage of IAS RR officers in that State
69
Chief Minister, Nagaland’s letter dated 13th July 2005 to Union Minister of State for Personnel,Public Grievances and Pensions
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
c. The mechanism mentioned above should also be applied in case of
induction into other All India Services at the State level.
d. Induction by way of promotion into Group ‘A’ Central Services should,
in addition to consideration of ACRs, also be done through conduct of
examination on the basis of the criteria as mentioned above. The nature
of the examination, ratio of posts to be filled by promotion etc. should be
decided by the concerned departments in consultation with the UPSC.
5.8 Allotment of Cadres to the All India Services
5.8.1 The present system for allotment of cadres for the All India Services has been a
matter of continuing debate. Till 2007, the allotment of cadres was a mix of a merit-based
allotment to insiders in fulfilment of their choice of home state, combined with a random
roster system for those who did not qualify for their home State. Candidates were not
required to give their preference for any other State apart from their home State. This
system achieved a balanced distribution of officers to various States but had a disadvantage
in that high ranking candidates, at times, were not getting their home State due to lack of
sufficient insider vacancies in that category and were therefore, relegated by the roster to
a State which may not be a preferred option for the officer. This often became a source of
long-term disappointment, particularly for candidates who had obtained high ranks but
found that the process gave no weightage to their rank once they failed to qualify for the
insider vacancies in their home cadre. This sense of dissatisfaction that merit did not appear
to play a sufficient role in cadre allotment, was compounded by a complex randomized
allotment process for outsiders that made it difficult to satisfy the needs of all aspirants. The
earlier system – limited zonal preferences – although it led to a greater degree of satisfaction,
resulted in reduced inter-regional mobility.
5.8.2 The different systems of cadre allotment which have been tried from time to time,
are indicated below:
a. Merit-cum-preference system (1947 to 1965)
b. Roster system i.e. allocating candidates except SCs / STs and women, according
to their rank in the merit list to the cadres arranged in alphabetical order (1966
to 1977)
c. Limited Zonal Preference System: (i) Vertical limited zonal preference (1978)
(ii) Horizontal Zonal preference system (1979 to 1983)
116
Recruitment
d. Roster system of allocation without any special dispensation (1984 till
2007).66
5.8.3 Government has now formulated a new Cadre Allocation Policy (2008).67 This policy
seeks to achieve a balance between the need for posting officers to different parts of the
country and the “preferences” of the officers. The highlight of the policy is that officers
are allocated to different cadres primarily on the basis of merit and their preferences. This,
however, is subject to the reservation roster and the underlying principle of maintaining
a ratio of 1:2 between the insiders and outsiders. The Commission is of the view that the
new policy mitigates to a great extent the shortcomings that characterized the earlier cadre
allocation policy. The Commission endorses the new policy but with some observations
which are mentioned below:
5.8.4 It has been noted that there is reluctance on the part of candidates from outside the
North East to serve in that region while at the same time the few ‘insiders’ from the North
East who qualify for the services are not assured of allotment in their State/region.68 The
Government of Nagaland for example has been representing69 that the “chances of a Naga
IAS Officer getting a home cadre is actually only 1 in 12 whereas according to the general
principle of IAS cadre allotment rules, it should have been one out of 3 vacancies”. Also,
these States have small cadres and the chances of having more than one insider vacancy
are remote. In view of the special characteristics of the North Eastern States as well as the
apparent reluctance of officers from outside to serve in these States, it is felt that there
is justification for a special dispensation by which ‘insider officers’ (those domiciled in
Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura and Sikkim) are
given a chance to serve in their own States. This could be done by allotting at least one
vacancy in each of the relevant cadres for persons domiciled in the States listed above. This
would mean that every year in a cadre e.g. Nagaland, at least one vacancy - irrespective of
the number of vacancies in that year - will be earmarked for a successful candidate from
Nagaland desirous of working there.
5.8.5 Under the new system proposed above, the list of successful candidates would be taken
and if candidate(s) is/are available from the above-mentioned seven States and if a successful
candidate has opted for the respective home cadre, then he/she should be first allotted to
that cadre. Such an allotment would have to be done irrespective of whether the vacancy
is for that category or not. In case there are more than one eligible insider candidates, then
the allotment may be done in the order – ST, SC, OBC, and General candidates. This may,
however distort the inter-se distribution among the General, OBC and SC/ST categories at
the national level. Therefore having done this allotment, a slight adjustment may be required
in the allocation of vacancies among the different categories in a few other States. Once the
117
66
Report of the Group for reviewing the policy for cadre allocation of IAS officers
67
Government Letter No. 14015/27/2005-AIS (I); Dated- 21st Feb. 2008.
68
Government of Nagaland has pointed out that in last 12 years, 5 Naga IAS officers have been allotted to other States even as 10 outsiders initially allotted to
Nagaland cadre subsequently got their cadres changed leading to a shortage of IAS RR officers in that State
69
Chief Minister, Nagaland’s letter dated 13th July 2005 to Union Minister of State for Personnel,Public Grievances and Pensions
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

insider quota of the small North Eastern States is filled up, then further allocation may be 3. Advising on the suitability of officers for appointment on promotion as well
done as per the policy issued by the Government of India in 2008. as transfer-on-deputation;

5.8.6 Recommendations 4. Advising the Government on all matters relating to methods of Recruitment
to various services and posts;
a. The following amendments should be made in the new Cadre Allocation
Policy (2008) for allocation of Cadre to candidates selected for the IAS: 5. Disciplinary cases relating to different civil services; and

i. At least one vacancy each year in each of the cadres of AGMUT70 (only 6. Miscellaneous matters relating to grant of extraordinary pensions, reimbursement
for the State of Arunachal Pradesh) Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, of legal expenses etc.
Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura may be allotted to a successful
candidate domiciled therein provided he/she has opted for his/her 5.9.1.2 Thus broadly the functions of the UPSC could be categorized as follows:
home State. This may be done even if there is no ‘insider’ vacancy in
a. Recruitment
these cadres.
b. Promotions
ii. In case there is more than one eligible candidate, then the allotment
c. Disciplinary matters
may be done in the order – ST, SC, OBC and General candidates, as
applicable to each state. d. Miscellaneous matters

iii. Once the home State quota of the above-mentioned North Eastern 5.9.2 Recruitment
States is filled up, further allocation may be done as per the Cadre
Allocation Policy (2008), after making adjustments necessitated by 5.9.2.1 Article 320(1) of the Constitution provides:
the changes recommended above.
“ It shall be the duty of the Union and the State Public Service Commissions to
conduct examinations for appointments to the services of the Union and the services
5.9 The Union Public Service Commission
of the State respectively”.
5.9.1 Role and Functions
5.9.2.2 Accordingly, the UPSC conducts the following examinations:72
5.9.1.1 The first Public Service Commission was set up on October 1st, 1926 by the
1. Civil Services [Preliminary] Examination
British Indian Government in response to the demands of the Indian leaders. The scope
of this Commission was further widened under the Government of India Act, 1935 and 2. Civil Services [Main] Examination
the Commission was named the Federal Public Service Commission. After Independence, 3. Engineering Services Examination
a constitutional status was accorded to it and it was called the Union Public Service
4. Indian Forest Service Examination
Commission. The Union Public Service Commission has been entrusted with the following
duties and role under the Constitution:71 5. Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service Examination
6. Geologists’ Examination
1. Recruitment to services & posts under the Union through conduct of
competitive examinations; 7. Combined Medical Services Examination
8. Special Class Railway Apprentices Examination
2. Recruitment to services & posts under the Central Government by Selection
through Interviews;
118 119
70 72
AGMUT: Assam-Meghalaya, Goa, Manipur-Tripura and Union Territories Extracted from the Website of UPSC (htpp://www.upsc.gov.in)
71
Extracted from the Website of UPSC (http://www.upsc.gov.in)
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights Recruitment

insider quota of the small North Eastern States is filled up, then further allocation may be 3. Advising on the suitability of officers for appointment on promotion as well
done as per the policy issued by the Government of India in 2008. as transfer-on-deputation;

5.8.6 Recommendations 4. Advising the Government on all matters relating to methods of Recruitment
to various services and posts;
a. The following amendments should be made in the new Cadre Allocation
Policy (2008) for allocation of Cadre to candidates selected for the IAS: 5. Disciplinary cases relating to different civil services; and

i. At least one vacancy each year in each of the cadres of AGMUT70 (only 6. Miscellaneous matters relating to grant of extraordinary pensions, reimbursement
for the State of Arunachal Pradesh) Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, of legal expenses etc.
Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura may be allotted to a successful
candidate domiciled therein provided he/she has opted for his/her 5.9.1.2 Thus broadly the functions of the UPSC could be categorized as follows:
home State. This may be done even if there is no ‘insider’ vacancy in
a. Recruitment
these cadres.
b. Promotions
ii. In case there is more than one eligible candidate, then the allotment
c. Disciplinary matters
may be done in the order – ST, SC, OBC and General candidates, as
applicable to each state. d. Miscellaneous matters

iii. Once the home State quota of the above-mentioned North Eastern 5.9.2 Recruitment
States is filled up, further allocation may be done as per the Cadre
Allocation Policy (2008), after making adjustments necessitated by 5.9.2.1 Article 320(1) of the Constitution provides:
the changes recommended above.
“ It shall be the duty of the Union and the State Public Service Commissions to
conduct examinations for appointments to the services of the Union and the services
5.9 The Union Public Service Commission
of the State respectively”.
5.9.1 Role and Functions
5.9.2.2 Accordingly, the UPSC conducts the following examinations:72
5.9.1.1 The first Public Service Commission was set up on October 1st, 1926 by the
1. Civil Services [Preliminary] Examination
British Indian Government in response to the demands of the Indian leaders. The scope
of this Commission was further widened under the Government of India Act, 1935 and 2. Civil Services [Main] Examination
the Commission was named the Federal Public Service Commission. After Independence, 3. Engineering Services Examination
a constitutional status was accorded to it and it was called the Union Public Service
4. Indian Forest Service Examination
Commission. The Union Public Service Commission has been entrusted with the following
duties and role under the Constitution:71 5. Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service Examination
6. Geologists’ Examination
1. Recruitment to services & posts under the Union through conduct of
competitive examinations; 7. Combined Medical Services Examination
8. Special Class Railway Apprentices Examination
2. Recruitment to services & posts under the Central Government by Selection
through Interviews;
118 119
70 72
AGMUT: Assam-Meghalaya, Goa, Manipur-Tripura and Union Territories Extracted from the Website of UPSC (htpp://www.upsc.gov.in)
71
Extracted from the Website of UPSC (http://www.upsc.gov.in)
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
9. National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination.
10. Combined Defence Services Examination.
11. Section Officers’/Stenographers’ Limited Departmental Competitive
Examination.
12. Central Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination
5.9.2.3 Conducting these examinations and recommending the names of suitable candidates
is one of the most important functions of the UPSC. Besides, the UPSC also conducts
recruitments by having direct interviews (or through recruitment tests) for vacancies in
Government of India that are not covered by the competitive examinations.
5.9.3 Consultation for Framing Recruitment Rules
5.9.3.1 According to Article 320(3)(a) of the Constitution:
“ The Union Public Service Commission or the State Public Service Commission, as
the case may be, shall be consulted –
(a) on all matters relating to methods of recruitment to civil services and for
civil posts;
(b) .....”
The Constitution also stipulates:
Provided that the President as respects the All India Services and also as respects other
services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union, and the Governor, as
respects other services and posts in connection with the affairs of a State, may make
regulations specifying the matters in which either generally, or in any particular
class or case or in any particular circumstances, it shall not be necessary for a Public
Service Commission to be consulted.
5.9.3.2 Keeping in view the aforesaid provisions, the Union Public Service Commission
(Exemption from Consultation) Regulations, 1958, as amended from time to time specify
cases in which it is not necessary to consult the Commission. Thus, though Government
is empowered (Article 309) to make recruitment rules for various services or posts, under
Article 320(3) consultation with UPSC is mandatory (except for the cases exempted).
Therefore scrutiny of the recruitment rules of various departments and suggesting any
changes in them is an important function of the UPSC.
120
Recruitment
5.9.4 Promotions
5.9.4.1 Selections for the All India Services from the State Services are regulated by the
respective promotion regulations/rules. These rules provide for a Selection Committee
headed by the Chairman or a Member of the UPSC. Similarly, for the Central Services there
is a provision for Departmental Promotion Committees to be headed by the Chairman or
Member UPSC. Besides, for all Group A posts, wherever the respective Recruitment and
Promotion Rules so provide, the UPSC is required to hold meetings of the Departmental
Promotion Committees. Over the years this function has expanded in keeping with the
expansion in the structure of Government. This can be seen from the fact that in 2006-07
the Commission considered 1253 cases involving 12760 officials in as many as 353 DPC
meetings for various posts in the Central Services. This indicates that the Commission has
been encumbered with routine administrative matters at the cost of its broader mandate
which is to advise the government on the principles of recruitment and promotion. The
Commission, elsewhere in the Report, has suggested that an independent Public Service
Authority should be entrusted with the task of selecting officers for senior positions in
government. For other officers – up to the selection grade - it would be wise to delegate
the routine functions of holding DPCs to the Departments concerned. The UPSC should
be given the broader mandate of supervising these DPCs through mechanisms including
a periodic review and reporting system, audit etc.
5.9.5 Disciplinary cases
5.9.5.1 Article 320 (3) (c) of the Constitution provides:
“The Union Public Service Commission or the State Public Service Commission, as
the case may be, shall be consulted –
(c) on all disciplinary matters affecting a person serving under the Government of
India or the Government of a State in a civil capacity, including memorials or petitions
relating to such matters.”
5.9.5.2 It is further provided that:
Provided that the President as respects the all-India services and also as respects other
services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union, and the Governor, as
respects other services and posts in connection with the affairs of a State, may make
regulations specifying the matters in which either generally, or in any particular class
of case or in any particular circumstances, it shall not be necessary for a Public Service
Commission to be consulted.
121
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights
9. National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination.
10. Combined Defence Services Examination.
11. Section Officers’/Stenographers’ Limited Departmental Competitive
Examination.
12. Central Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination
5.9.2.3 Conducting these examinations and recommending the names of suitable candidates
is one of the most important functions of the UPSC. Besides, the UPSC also conducts
recruitments by having direct interviews (or through recruitment tests) for vacancies in
Government of India that are not covered by the competitive examinations.
5.9.3 Consultation for Framing Recruitment Rules
5.9.3.1 According to Article 320(3)(a) of the Constitution:
“ The Union Public Service Commission or the State Public Service Commission, as
the case may be, shall be consulted –
(a) on all matters relating to methods of recruitment to civil services and for
civil posts;
(b) .....”
The Constitution also stipulates:
Provided that the President as respects the All India Services and also as respects other
services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union, and the Governor, as
respects other services and posts in connection with the affairs of a State, may make
regulations specifying the matters in which either generally, or in any particular
class or case or in any particular circumstances, it shall not be necessary for a Public
Service Commission to be consulted.
5.9.3.2 Keeping in view the aforesaid provisions, the Union Public Service Commission
(Exemption from Consultation) Regulations, 1958, as amended from time to time specify
cases in which it is not necessary to consult the Commission. Thus, though Government
is empowered (Article 309) to make recruitment rules for various services or posts, under
Article 320(3) consultation with UPSC is mandatory (except for the cases exempted).
Therefore scrutiny of the recruitment rules of various departments and suggesting any
changes in them is an important function of the UPSC.
120
Recruitment
5.9.4 Promotions
5.9.4.1 Selections for the All India Services from the State Services are regulated by the
respective promotion regulations/rules. These rules provide for a Selection Committee
headed by the Chairman or a Member of the UPSC. Similarly, for the Central Services there
is a provision for Departmental Promotion Committees to be headed by the Chairman or
Member UPSC. Besides, for all Group A posts, wherever the respective Recruitment and
Promotion Rules so provide, the UPSC is required to hold meetings of the Departmental
Promotion Committees. Over the years this function has expanded in keeping with the
expansion in the structure of Government. This can be seen from the fact that in 2006-07
the Commission considered 1253 cases involving 12760 officials in as many as 353 DPC
meetings for various posts in the Central Services. This indicates that the Commission has
been encumbered with routine administrative matters at the cost of its broader mandate
which is to advise the government on the principles of recruitment and promotion. The
Commission, elsewhere in the Report, has suggested that an independent Public Service
Authority should be entrusted with the task of selecting officers for senior positions in
government. For other officers – up to the selection grade - it would be wise to delegate
the routine functions of holding DPCs to the Departments concerned. The UPSC should
be given the broader mandate of supervising these DPCs through mechanisms including
a periodic review and reporting system, audit etc.
5.9.5 Disciplinary cases
5.9.5.1 Article 320 (3) (c) of the Constitution provides:
“The Union Public Service Commission or the State Public Service Commission, as
the case may be, shall be consulted –
(c) on all disciplinary matters affecting a person serving under the Government of
India or the Government of a State in a civil capacity, including memorials or petitions
relating to such matters.”
5.9.5.2 It is further provided that:
Provided that the President as respects the all-India services and also as respects other
services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union, and the Governor, as
respects other services and posts in connection with the affairs of a State, may make
regulations specifying the matters in which either generally, or in any particular class
of case or in any particular circumstances, it shall not be necessary for a Public Service
Commission to be consulted.
121
 Refurbishing of Personnel Administation – Scaling New Heights

5.9.5.3 The Union Public Service Commission (Exemption from Consultation) Regulations,
1958, spell out the cases where such consultation is mandatory. Accordingly, during the year
2006-07 the UPSC had received 1188 disciplinary cases under the above Article including
334 cases brought forward from the previous year and the Commission tendered advice
in 622 cases. Of these, effective advice leading to imposition of penalty numbered 522.
Out of these, there were 48 cases of dismissal and 6 of removal whereas there were 159
CAPACITY BUILDING
6
cases of pecuniary penalties, 177 cases of cut in pension, 62 cases of censure and 79 cases
where proceedings were dropped. The Commission feels that the time and expertise of the 6.1 Significance of Training
UPSC should not be taken up in dealing with routine and ‘minor’ disciplinary cases. The
Commission in Chapter 14 while examining the disciplinary procedures in government has 6.1.1 It is universally acknowledged that training is a critical component of human resource
taken the view that these procedures need to be streamlined as the large number of steps development. It complements a person’s education by updating his/her knowledge,
prescribed in the current procedures have rendered them cumbersome and ineffective. The inculcating skills and values and helping to change entrenched mind-sets. It also promotes
Commission is therefore of the view that consultation with the UPSC should be mandatory team spirit and in general increases the value of an individual for his/her organization and,
only in cases leading to the likely dismissal or removal of a government servant from service consequently, society. In the context of the Civil Services, as Shri L.K. Jha has pointed
and all other types of disciplinary cases should be exempted from the UPSC’s purview. out “administrators are not born but made”. Training of civil servants is thus an important
personnel function of Government. In fact, there is already a well established and fairly good
5.9.6 Recommendations system for training of senior and middle level civil servants in India but unfortunately its
scope and reach does not extend to all civil servants. Over the years, with increased emphasis
a. Promotion of officers through Departmental Promotion Committees
placed on training, a number of training institutions have also been set up with specialized
(DPC), upto the level of Selection Grade may be delegated to the concerned
training faculty and use of modern training techniques. Many of these institutions run
Departments. The UPSC should supervise the functioning of these DPCs
training programmes in collaboration with leading national and international academic
through periodic reviews, audit etc.
institutions.
b. In the case of disciplinary proceedings, consultation with the UPSC
6.1.2 In the pre-Independence period, the higher civil services had an organized system
should be mandatory only in cases involving likely dismissal or removal
of training. The structure of training of ICS officers is described by Shri B K Nehru as
of a government servant.
follows:

After having been chosen, you had to undergo one or two years’ probation in England
according to whether you had taken the London or the Indian examination. This
period was spent at Oxford, Cambridge, or the School of Oriental Studies in London.
It consisted principally of studying Indian Law and procedures, mostly criminal and
the Law of Evidence, getting an idea of the revenue system, reading Indian history
and learning the language of the province to which you had been assigned. Thereafter,
there was one final examination which included, among other things, your ability
to ride a horse!

The real training started on one’s arrival in India. The new recruit was put in the
charge of a Deputy Commissioner or Collector. These trainers were specially selected

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